The Aftermath
by LoveIsLikePi
Summary: He, for once, was the last person she would've chosen. She, for once, had been his first choice.
1. Chapter 1

So I normally stick to writing about NejiHina (I don't even want to consider what happened in the manga, k?)/ShikaTema, etc but I'm going out on a limb here.

So, here we go! I'm planning maybe 3-6 chapters if the reviews call for it but we'll see.

* * *

How it had come to this, she would never know. The mere days between the end of the war and the arrangement had barely been enough time for Hinata's head to stop reeling, for her to stop jumping at every slight noise, for her nostrils to reacquaint themselves with anything but the smell of blood.

Now he. _him._ Sought by Naruto those long years and targeted by the elders of the village, stood before her as her chosen husband.

Their wedding night. These facts seemed to blur by her consciousness at an imperceptible pace.

She had heard the whispers at the clan meetings, in session for almost three straight days after the war's end despite everyone's obvious exhaustion. Then, she had watched representatives of her clan join the processional of other prominent Konoha clans' representatives on their way to the Hokage tower.

 _They want to make him attached to something, to someone quick. They want weighty insurance that he will never turn on us. They want him to settle down and marry as soon as possible so that his mind will be more easily turned swayed, so that his long-darkened heart will be resolved._

She had sighed. Didn't anyone want to ask the Uchiha what _he_ wanted?

The outcome of the congregational clan meeting was top secret and the following day had produced a strange sight. An unusually high number of ANBU were roaming about the village in a much more visible fashion than usual. Hinata had wondered at it until a brightly striped Tiger mask appeared before her, a monotonous voice inquiring about something she had never considered in her life. _Or would ever_ she was sure.

She didn't even blink before replying with a simple _no_. And, just like that, she was left to herself again. Of all the things to be asked...

Oh how those words haunted her now, ringing with a sick taunting in her head while dark eyes coolly regarded her at this very moment.

 _Would you marry Uchiha Sasuke?_

* * *

 _This is just an introduction! R & R!_

 _-Pi-chan_


	2. Chapter 2

Unbeknownst to the rest of Konoha, the newly returned Uchiha had been present at the meeting of the prestigious clans as well. It was only fitting; it was to choose his future wife and matriarch of the new Uchiha clan after all.

And he was damn tired of fan-girl types. They'd haunted his steps all his days and he was sick of it.

So, when the heads of the clans in agreement with the Hokage had extended him the opportunity to designate one stipulation about the girl herself, he had replied with a simple:

"Bring me the ones that say no." And the request had been granted. ANBU had been tasked to thoroughly investigate any single women in Konoha in addition with asking the women themselves. At first, ANBU had been indignant that such a seemingly meaningless task was being asked of them. However, when the delicate circumstances and required secrecy was further explained, they had reluctantly agreed. They couldn't have the village catching wind of this after all. If that happened, they'd have to give Ibiki the headache of sorting out the liars from the true negative responses.

ANBU had performed marvelously. By the end of the next day, a list of seven women had been compiled and sent first to the Hokage. Tsunade swished her sake back and forth in her glass as she pondered the list. Out of all the women in Konoha, were there really only SEVEN single women that weren't head over heels for the Uchiha?

Shizune was reading the list over her master's shoulder. "Tsunade-sama, most of these women aren't even kunoichi. I doubt Sasuke-san will want-"

"He can choose for himself; as heartless as he can be, he's a man and has his own tastes. I'm not opposed to any of the matches on this list" she concluded, throwing the sheet of paper down.

"Whom do you think he will choose?" inquired Shizune, leaving to summon the seven women.

"That" said Tsunade "is something not even I'm willing to bet on" she stated, swigging back the glass as her student's face took the appropriate shocked expression.

* * *

Hinata had expected a mission and that had been reinforced when Tenten was already waiting outside the door.

"You too?" the brunette had inquired and Hinata had briefly nodded.

But as they entered the designated room, they realized that out of the other five women here only one apart from them was a kunoichi and only a recent promotion to chuunin at that.

A murmur of confusion rippled throughout the room but they had little time to ponder before the Hokage herself entered.

"If you would all please line up, leave enough space between you to spread your arms"

They all obeyed. A few moments of silence before the door opened and a raven-haired man stood before them, eyeing each one.

"All of the non-ninja can leave. I don't need a woman who can't protect my household" the four citizens scoffed before exiting on the other side of the room.

Sasuke's gaze, cold and calculating, turned toward the remaining three. Two he knew, or did know, in his genin days.

"Show me their medical history as well as their clan's medical history" he nearly barked and Tsunade handed him the younger girl's sheet first.

Sasuke had barely scanned the sheet when he dismissed her with a wave of his hand. She sighed in relief, bowed, and exited after the other women.

The Uchiha then scanned Tenten's sheet before giving her the once over then pacing around her in a circle. She felt an intense urge to bash his head in for making her feel like a prize horse.

He asked for Hinata's sheet next, face revealing nothing of his thoughts. He then circled her also. He inspected her face closely, noticing how she blushed outrageously and wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Remove your jacket" he commanded.

That got her head to raise. Suddenly, he saw her eyes harden slightly.

"No" she replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest. He reached for her zipper himself and, not expecting her to actually hold to her refusal, was surprised when she blocked his hand with her chakra infused one. And again. And then again. How dare she defy him! It was hard to tell anything about her body with that jacket swallowing her. He could easily break her hand. But he reigned in his anger; he was trying to not be that person anymore.

"Very well, I'll have you then" he said, dismissing the brunette with the same wave of his hand. She shot a apologetic look at her Hyuuga friend before striding out the door.

Something about her possessing both shyness and the determination to refuse his request intrigued him. She had strength, he was sure.

She, however, had paled considerably. _There's no way...father wouldn't... oh yes he would. The clan's losses during the war were, though yet not completely tallied, great. And this alliance would almost ensure the future stability of the Hyuuga. And she didn't even know yet if Naruto...or..._

Her blush grew more considerable. Tsunade, though a little shocked, nodded and sent the summons to Hiashi. They would have much to discuss and she would have to do a ton of research on the mixing of eye-based bloodline limits.

 _Ugh. This is going to take several weeks of reading and research. This is what I get for being the best in my field._

Meanwhile, Hinata hadn't fully grasped reality for several seconds now. Until, that is, Sasuke- _the_ Avenger himself- slipped something with a cool band around her finger and whispered

"Congratulations, Mrs. Uchiha. I'll be at your house tomorrow to take you out for the day. Be ready at 7a.m."

Still in shock, she nodded to the best of her ability, not revealing her emotions until the door shut behind her now-betrothed.

 _What arrogance, to think that father would just allow him to take me away tomorrow, regardless of any plans I might have...for him to think that I would even want to go out with him..._

Hinata crumpled onto the ground.

 _"Wh-What about being Mrs. Uzumaki...?"_

* * *

So, yeah, we're still in the introductory stage of the story so future chapters will be much longer!

-Pi-chan! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Hinata's mind snapped back to the present as her obsidian-eyed husband shifted his feet. If she didn't know better, she would've thought him nervous. She felt her teeth sink into her bottom lip, nearly drawing blood, as her gloved palms clutched the white sheets on either side of her, crumpling them and revealing her nervousness. If he'd made up his mind to claim her as his wife tonight, there would be no denying him.

* * *

Obediently, she was awaiting him at 6:55 the next morning near the front gate to be released from early morning negotiations with her father. How he'd managed to get a private session with Hiashi so quickly she didn't know. Usually, even other nobles that wanted to see him had to be invited or give at least three days' notice.

She'd felt like rolling out of bed and purposely looking as awful as she could. But she wouldn't let down her clan and most importantly her father. At least, she wouldn't let him down a millionth time. The rules of the Hyuuga household were ingrained early and Hinata had been preened and instructed on how to please a favorable suitor very early in life.

 _If you happen to know or can find out his favorite color, be sure to wear it on your first outing together. Otherwise, wear a color that is closely associated with his clan or its crest._

So here she was, dressed in the only red kimono she owned. Actually, it was the only red outfit she owned. The color reminded her of blood and she had sought to avoid it as much as possible. It also tended to draw the eye, another thing she wasn't normally too keen on. Black outlines of birds descended diagonally across the garment, a simple but pleasant design. She had also made sure to match her lipstick and had stared at the mirror in shock at her pale lips that now almost glowed red. Her makeup looked nice, she admitted, for not having put any on in quite a while. Funny how less than two weeks ago she was on a battlefield nearly covered in the accursed substance of this same color.

She was nervous and had pondered all this with her gaze on the ground. At 7 sharp, the front entrance to the mansion had slid open and both men looked quite pleased. Her father actually beamed at her as he eyed with approval her choice of outfit. He had bought this kimono for her several months ago but this was his first time seeing it on her.

Her eyes met Sasuke's. She managed a small, genuine smile before looking back at the ground again.

She was completely unaware, however, of the effect she had on the Uchiha. His gaze had remained as passive as ever but a strange churning had begun inside him the moment he had laid his eyes on her. The bold choice of color, the exact hue of the Sharingan,one of the colors of his to-be-revived clan...

 _One she looked damn good in_ he thought. Not only that but even though the kimono was certainly as loose as such a garment was allowed to be, he could see a few more curves than the jacket had revealed yesterday. He'd be sure to burn that jacket as soon as their vows were finished.

He held out his arm, ever the gentleman, and she took it after an approving nod from Hiashi.

"Father" she acknowledged, bowed her head slightly and walked out of the grounds with the last Uchiha at her side.

* * *

No annoying stares. No incessant babbling. No stolen glances. No ridiculous questions. No seductive movements. And most of all no high pitched squealing.

The woman on his arm hadn't even looked at him in the minutes they had been walking together. She seemed content with the silence and he wanted to shout for joy. Figuratively, of course. Didn't she even wonder what her father and he had discussed earlier that morning or what they were going to do?

Of course, Hinata was curious. But she didn't see a point in asking. There would be plenty of time to talk later or, if her father had already decided, for the rest of their married lives.

As they entered an out-of-the-way food place, she noticed Sasuke handing a man who seemed to be the manager several bills. She didn't question it.

 _And whatever he might do, don't speak of it to anyone or ask him about it. If you marry a nobleman, you're going to have to keep many secrets from the public's eye._

"What would you like?" the question reached her ears. She wasn't all that hungry, really.

"Rice and fish is fine" she said. He nodded, turning back to the waiter and ordering for both of them. He then clasped his hands just below his eyes, a habit she recalled from their academy days, and merely observed her. She didn't want to meet his eyes. Finally, she forced her chin to tilt upward and had to bite back a gasp. The intensity in his eyes itself brought heat to her cheeks. This time, she turned to observe the wall. Silence reigned for several more seconds.

"Your father has approved our engagement. Most delightedly, I might add" he stated. She said nothing and did nothing, except nod slightly.

"So what's wrong with you?" he asked bluntly, stare never breaking.

"E-Excuse me?"

"The Hyuuga are not known for their quick decisions nor their taking marriage into another clan lightly, especially when it concerns a daughter of the main branch. So tell me, what is it about you that makes a hasty decision so acceptable?" he didn't sound the least bit gentle.

She inhaled sharply.

"F-Father believes it will be b-best if my younger s-sister, Hanabi, t-takes over the clan as Head in lieu of me. It's n-not that they want r-rid of me so easily; it j-just happens to be more convenient if they have a r-reason I can't be his s-successor. P-Plus, it will s-smooth things over f-for them considerably" she answered.

He detected the authentic nature of her answer and nodded to her. There was a few minutes of silence before he broke it again, taking the initiative once more.

"Look Hinata-san. You know who I am and what I've done. I'm not usually this blunt but as you will be my wife and will be re-laying the foundation of an entire clan with me- _the_ Uchiha clan at that- I want to start off on solid footing. I'm not having a clan built on secrets and manipulation and deceit anymore. I want a clan built on honesty, trust, and love for the village. I've seen that those are the more lasting values that will sustain the clan for generations to come."

"Th-that makes a lot of sense. I'm g-glad" she said, and smiled genuinely at him.

"I'm also tired of my shadow being full to bursting with fan-girl types that want strands of my hair and a piece of my shirt and now that I'm older-"

"I know"

He stopped, stunned. It was rare enough that he talked openly so people usually listened without interruption when he did, even less so to tell him that they already knew what he was going to tell him.

"S-Sorry for the interruption" she apologized quickly, realizing her mistake. "B-But I've observed you s-since our academy days t-too. You never t-took any notice of me b-but I always knew how lonely you were. And I f-felt s-sorta...sorry for you having to d-deal with th-them all the time. I couldn't imagine h-having people want to be n-near me all the time, as I usually just bl-blended into the background. I would've r-reached out t-to you. B-But...I thought that you would th-think I was just another c-crazed h-hormone machine come f-for your saliva or something so I didn't..."

He couldn't help it. A small laugh escaped him. She giggled in return. _This woman..._

Their orders came. He noticed her dainty, perfectly ladylike eating. She'd found his sense of humor more quickly than anyone in a long time.

"Do you eat like that on missions too?" he queried quietly, smirking.

Without missing a beat she responded with a very straight face: "Normally. I carry my best silverware in my kunai p-pouches"

Her husband-to-be nearly choked on his miso soup. Hinata smiled as she took another bite of fish. _This is going way better than I thought..._ was their mutual thought.

 _Witty. Seems sturdy and unperterbed by most things. Not an attention whore. I just might've stumbled into a very good thing..._

 _He's more relaxed than I thought he'd be. He even laughed! Perhaps this wasn't such a bad match after all..._

"Where I was going earlier, Hinata, is that I appreciate honesty and authenticity. I will not have a cold noble marriage as an example for children"

He paused as she nodded in agreement. He was pleased and continued:

"Speaking of children-"

"You'll want at least s-seven to m-make sure the bloodline h-has enough r-room to diverge and redevelop its f-former diversity. And, though r-restoring your clan is one of your t-top priorities, you will p-probably want to wait at least a year or two b-before bringing children into the p-picture s-so that you can readjust to v-village life, let some of your c-callousness f-fade away, restore the Uchiha compound to its f-former glory and regain a s-sense of camaraderie" she finished for him. He blinked.

"Understood" was all she said as she finished the last bite of her fish.

"H-How did-"

"Sasuke-san. You've been proclaiming the rebuilding the c-clan for more years than I can c-count. The rest j-just sorta makes s-sense"

He nodded. "Then I don't want any secrets from you. I expect complete honesty and openness in our relationship, something I will extend to no one else. This is a very important factor if the clan isn't going to go as it did in the past"

She nodded. "If you ask, I will not hide anything from you"

He grinned. What a cunning answer. _But if I don't ask, you won't tell will you, Hinata?_ Damn, he was already suspicious of her.

"You should know that...I've been q-quite attached to Naruto since b-before our ac-academy days" she stated so quietly he almost didn't catch it.

His eyebrows raised. " _Romantically_ attached?" he asked. _Is that why she never chased me?_

He watched her inhalation, as if she was about to reveal her darkest secret to him. _Hell, knowing her this probably WAS her darkest secret._

Her still-red lips parted slightly and a becoming flush rose to her cheeks. Her eyelashes were swept downward over her cheeks because her gaze had fallen on her lap. Her eyes finally rose to meet his again.

"Yes. B-but I've known a long t-time about his enduring feelings for S-Sakura-chan. And n-now that I-that we- are to be married, she m-might finally realize how g-great he would treat h-her and how adoring of h-him she secretly is. I would be very happy for him. Th-That is what love is, after all, Sasuke-san. Wanting wh-what that person wants more than wh-what you want so d-don't worry. It won't affect our m-marriage"

He read the bitter sweetness in her smile but her happiness for him was genuine. This girl was a strange one indeed. For years she must've yearned for him and now she so easily let him go. He looked at her again.

 _No. What she said is true but it's almost certainly not that easy._

He was pleased. He'd spoken very frankly and she had freely spoken her mind. She was observant. She was patient. And, most importantly, she understood love more deeply than any of those fan-girls that had chased the flutters his looks at given their hearts for years. They were but ghosts.

But this girl was real. Before him, she was solid and unabashedly authentic. Shy, yes. But that was a plus in some ways, he'd realized. She had poured her heart out to him without his even asking. That sort of wonderful innocence and trust was a true rarity in the ninja world.

 _And to think I almost missed her. I'm once again thankful to your idiocy, Naruto._

"Come Hinata. We have much to do today" he gently commanded, holding out his arm. "And don't worry about the money I slipped him. It was to keep our whereabouts unknown if anyone comes asking. I don't want to deal with the fan girls until the engagement is actually announced"

She rose quite elegantly without another word but gave him a slight nod to show she understood. Inside, she was cracking slightly and knew she had to remain composed. She could cry later. This was the better way. Naruto hadn't given up on Sakura and she knew he never would. Sasuke would treat her nicely and she wouldn't annoy him as much as many other girls might. And maybe...just maybe... it would be more one day.

But for now, she stayed contentedly in step with him, arms gingerly linked, as they exited the shop.

* * *

Back in the present, Sasuke began slowly making his way toward his new bride.

* * *

Yay! I'm enjoying this story waaaay more than I thought I would! Still majorly prefer NejiHinata but...it's good to expand your horizons.

Hope you enjoyed! Is 2,186 words enough or do you want even longer chapters? I can do that! This was just a good place to end it. Because I'm evil. Muhahaha.

hahahahahahahahaha. ha.

-Pi-chan! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Six weeks. Six weeks was all they'd been given to adjust to one another. And now, he had finally come to stand in front of her at the edge of the bed. She couldn't bring herself to look upward, her eyes fixed on his abdomen. Two of his fingers gently touched her throat, trailing upwards to tip her chin back so that their eyes would meet. Her sharp intake of oxygen betrayed her. What she saw threatened to consume her. _What a fierce look..._

* * *

 _After breakfast with him, Hinata relaxed a little around her betrothed._ " _I'm going to have to get used to it" she resolved in her mind._

 _He'd been summoned to the Hokage's tower, though, so they hadn't gotten the whole day together as he had planned. Hinata stopped by the hospital. She knew that Sasuke would want to know he was getting a healthy woman to help restart his clan. Luckily, Sakura was on duty. Hinata would rather have a trusted friend examine her than anyone else._

 _"Sure Hinata, you're in luck. I have some time before lunch yet" she said, leading her friend to the examination room. She kept the thought to herself but this request was a little unexpected. She wanted to ask Hinata about the sudden interest in her fertility and physical health but refrained for the time being._

 _Hinata had obediently stripped, stepping out of her kimono. That was another thing that had made the wheels in Sakura's head spin. The absence of Hinata's trademark jacket and its replacement of a kimono-and a blazing red kimono at that._

 _As she expected, Hinata was in excellent physical shape. There were no lumps in her breasts and even so soon after the war she was at a good weight._

 _"Okay. All that's left is the pelvic exam. Go ahead and lay back on the table"_

 _Hinata shivered at her nakedness against the cold metal table but, to her credit, had only blushed mildly when her feet were placed in the cold metal stirrups._

 _Sakura's fingers were gentle. She would pause now and again to scribble a few light notes._

 _"You're in good condition, Hinata, and shouldn't have any problems bearing children" Sakura assured._

 _"Now this has been only a physical exam, do you want the complete blood work and urine analysis done too? I don't really see a need for it but-"_

 _"We should probably go ahead and do everything possible, just to be sure" replied Hinata._

 _Sakura nodded. "very well, I'll just need a blood and urine sample"_

 _As they finished up, Sakura couldn't help but ask._

 _"So what's the sudden interest in your reproduction capabilities, Hinata?"_

 _"Father has seen it fit for me to marry very soon. I figured he would want a full report on my ability to reproduce" she stated, sounding neither excited nor sad. It was a neutral tone that Sakura couldn't place._

 _"What-Hinata-that's-the war just-" she didn't know what to say._

 _"It's okay, Sakura-chan" Hinata had reassured. "This is what's best for everyone. Plus, he did pick me himself" she said, a practiced smile playing over her lips._

 _"Wow. Well, okay, who's the lucky man?"_

 _"Um, I'm not really allowed to announce it to anyone yet. It was just decided this morning and not even Hanabi probably knows about it yet. You'll see the announcement later this week, I'm sure" she said before thanking the medic nin and rushing off. "And you'll hate me for it" she muttered in her head._

 _"O-Okay!" called Sakura after her. "Your results will be back in about three days!"_

 _Hinata waved her hand behind her to show she understood._

* * *

 _As Hinata lay in her bedroom, she wondered if she hadn't dreamed all of it._

 _"No" she decided resolutely as the late afternoon shadows danced across her ceiling._

 _"If it were a dream, Naruto-kun would be courting me" she sighed, placing a pillow over her face. Her tears had dried hours ago and she was sure her makeup was splotched against her skin. She was willing herself to feel anything for the Uchiha. He'd been courteous, yes, but very much lacked the warmth she was so attracted to._

 _An unexpected knock came to her door._

 _"J-Just a minute!" she exclaimed nervously, dashing to the mirror. She did indeed look terrible._

 _"Hinata-sama" she recognized a servant's voice and opened the door. To her surprise, two intertwined roses-one burgandy and the other white-were presented to her._

 _"Uchiha-san requested that these be delivered to you as an apology for his absence during today's promised activities. He will be unable to attend the family dinner tonight, though he assures that he will be present from tomorrow on. I was also told to say that he will be here for you tomorrow at 10a.m."_

 _"And so the distance begins" Hinata had thought morosely. He could've come himself. Not that she had a particular desire to see the Uchiha._

 _"Thank you, Keiko" she responded, picking up the delicate blooms. Sasuke sure wasn't kidding when it came to his clan._

 _She had fallen back on the bed after cleaning her face. Oh, how she didn't want to go through with this!_

 _Almost robotically, she had responded to the dinner bell moments later. Hanabi tried to catch her attention as the announcement of the agreement between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga was made before the whole clan._

 _"Father told me just moments before the bell rang. You aren't seriously going through with this, nee-chan?" whispered Hanabi out of the corner of her mouth._

 _"Yes. It's best for everyone and you know it, Hanabi-chan" she whispered back even more quietly. The younger girl chewed on that for quite a while._

 _Hinata tried to enjoy her last meal without the Uchiha being present. But she just couldn't do it. She wanted to spit up every bite. Her heart had willed her body to rebel against her. She was being gnawed at, eaten alive from the inside out and there was no stopping it._

 _She'd excused herself early, encasing herself in her room for the remainder of the evening. Hanabi had come to visit her but left when her knocks went unanswered. Hinata was surprised; the Hanabi she knew would just throw open the door, nearly busting the partition off its hinges in the process._

 _"I'm here when you're ready to talk about it, Hinata-neechan" she said, walking away in defeat. This wasn't something you could force another to talk about even if that person was your big sister. This had been an unexpected blow to her too, particularly with Neji's body barely cold in the ground._

 _"Oh nii-san" she sighed, throwing her head up to look at the stars of the night sky. "If only you were here...I know you wouldn't let her go through with this..."_

 _But the only answer to her musings was a slight rustle of wind._

* * *

 _Once again, Hinata had been obediently waiting her betrothed five minutes before the appointed time. Today, she had chosen a black silk kimono outlined with a slightest hint of white silk. One of the servant girls had helped her put her hair in a semi-elegant braided up do, with the two roses he had given her peeking over left ear._

 _Masking the effect she had on him again, he offered his arm to her once more and greeted her in a somewhat more friendly manner than the previous morning. He was secretly very pleased that she had incorporated the roses into her wardrobe._

 _"The roses suit you" he said in a low voice as they turned toward a less-traveled part of town._

 _He was even more pleased to note the slightest tinge of pink dusting her cheeks. There was silence until she inquired "Where are we going, Sasuke-kun?" almost biting down the bile in her throat at the new meaning the affix had._

 _"We're going to survey sites for the new location of the Uchiha clan household" he replied._

 _"Oh. So you want somewhere that feels more included in the village but also retains the privacy that is precious to the Uchihas, right?" she analyzed almost instantly. He smirked. At least she was fairly bright._

 _"Yes. We're going to look over a few plots. I will make the final decision but I do value your input" he stated. He might've even tugged her a little closer to him. But she very well could've imagined it._

 _"Of course" she agreed_

 _For two hours they surveyed three different locations. Since Pain's invasion, rearranging the placement of things had become easier since almost everything had to be rebuilt anyway._

 _The first location was near the edge of Konoha, not too far from the main gate. The backside of the plot backed up to Konoha's wall itself._

 _"It's certainly spacious" commented Hinata. Sasuke agreed but wasn't sure that he liked being so vulnerable to attack. If someone did get through the walls, their estate would be the first thing encountered by the enemy._

 _The next spot of land was just to the right of the Hokage stone-faces, much nearer the back of the village._

 _"It's not as big as the last one. Future generations would have more trouble expanding" she said, eyeing the western boundary of the property. Sasuke agreed, ignoring the thrill of being so close to the revival of the Uchiha. Without Itachi here, a secret ache had risen within him, an ache to no longer be the last Uchiha._

 _Unbeknownst to Hinata, his gaze had drifted toward her out of the corner of his eye. She was a noble beauty, that was for sure. And the least like a fan-girl he'd ever encountered. She didn't coo when he came into view or fawn over his dark locks or paw at his robes. She wasn't willing to lick the bottom of his feet clean if he asked or kiss the dust he walked on. She had a different kind of strength, a strength that hadn't been inborn in her nature but that she'd had to learn. It was the quiet fortitude of the unassuming and one that, once built, would be unshakable. She was a challenge, someone he'd actually have to try to win over for once. Just the kind of woman he needed to stand firm by him._

 _But most of all she was honest. Most girls had grown their hair long in his younger days simply because they knew he liked it. He remembered hers remaining short before growing to the lovely to-her-waist- waterfall it was at present. She also hadn't tried to pretend to like the same things he liked and didn't much seem to mind that he wasn't fond of sweets but she was, along with several other small differences in taste they shared._ _She was honest, yes, but to what point? Everyone hid something._ _He was pulled out of his thoughts as she glanced at him, causing him to abruptly look away rather than hold her gaze._

 _"Let's go" he'd said gruffly, tugging her arm back to interlock with his._

 _The third plot was settled on the opposite side of the street from the backside of the hospital._

 _"It's not right, Sasuke-kun. There'll be no privacy here" she stated, looking around at the milling crowds even at this odd time of day. Sasuke mentally sighed. He really didn't want to admit it but she was right. She obviously valued her privacy very much too._

 _"We'll have to take the first one, then" he replied, turning back._

 _"Sasuke-kun, I have another suggestion if you'd like to hear it"_

 _He was intrigued. "What is it?"_

* * *

 _"Th-this place isn't on the market yet but I'm sure we could put an offer in" she said, leading him toward an open plot._

 _"It's large and private as the town hasn't had time to re-expand this far yet but it surely will, especially with the influx of Konoha's influence from the war. By then, though, the clan would be established and if you wished to we could purchase the surrounding properties if we wanted a little more privacy though I don't think it's necessary._

 _He paced nearly every inch as she patiently awaited him. He appreciated being left to himself and not having her underfoot like Karin and Sakura usually were. His bride-to-be was right. They'd be in the perfect position to aid in either offense or defense if an attack ever came. The Hokage tower wasn't too far away._

 _As he strode back to her, he nodded almost grinning. "Plus,"she added pointing, "the academy isn't too far down that road. And I would feel better if the children weren't all that far away while they're young" she admitted, proud of herself for only feeling a slight heat rushing to her face._

 _"Thinking of children already, Hinata-chan? You must be more enthusiastic about the revival of the Uchiha than even I am" he said, a lightly teasing tone flavoring his voice._

 _Her simple shrug earned her a chuckle. He was secretly relieved at her revealing mothering instincts so early. At least she wouldn't hold them accountable and thus treat them poorly if the marriage went sour._

 _"Now who is in charge of this property?" he asked as they walked away._

 _She grinned. "We'll go see him now but you'd probably better let me talk to him" she replied mysteriously, slightly enjoying the annoyed look on his face._

* * *

 _"Ah, Miss Hinata. What a pleasure it is to see you" the elderly realtor greeted._

 _"Good morning, Keichi-san" she returned with equal warmth in her tone._

 _"I brought you some fresh, sweet persimmons" she said, handing him a basket with at least 10 of the tender fruits piled inside._

 _"Why thank you!" the older gentleman had exclaimed, eyeing the basket greedily. He then noticed the young man that had a firm grasp on the young woman's arm._

 _"Have you finally accepted a suitor, Miss Hinata?" he inquired, eyeing the much younger man steadily._

 _" Yes, I have Keichi-san. That's also why I've come. We were looking at the places to build our own compound in the future-"_

 _"And you wondered if you could have the old Kimuchi plot ?" he finished, grinning up at her. He'd known this little one since she could barely walk. She was the only one of the Hyuuga, including her father, that had ever remembered his name and served him as an equal during all the time he spent in the compound over the years, selling and buying for Hyuuga Hiashi and his father before him._

 _She smiled at his ease of reading her and nodded._

 _"Let's negotiate a price"_

 _Sasuke had remained silent. He wasn't the most personable person and he'd only been back for two weeks so every generation was bound to have some bone to pick with him. If they wanted the land, it was more logical and strategic to let her do the talking, especially since she knew the guy and the guy seemed fond of her._

 _The Uchiha had been surprised at her firmness in negotiation. She knew the land well and wasn't going to be taken for more. Sasuke shifted on his feet only slightly as the haggle war raged on. He let his mind drift, wondering what life as a husband would be like and if Hinata would be able to manipulate him as she'd just done to this-_

 _"Deal!" exclaimed Hinata triumphantly. She loved the old man but he was still a bit of a shady dealer after all. The old man's grin widened. "You know I'd have given you the plot without you bringing the fruit as a bribe, Miss Hinata" he said, eyeing her playfully._

 _She chuckled "They weren't a bribe, Keichi-san. I just remembered how much you liked them when you would visit our estate in the fall for the yearly meeting with my father" she replied easily. He nodded his thanks, holding out a document._

 _"Just sign here Miss Hinata and-?" he trailed off, meeting Sasuke's eyes once more._

 _"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke" he said without blinking, expecting all the color to drain from the man's face before he was finished with his signature._

 _Before Sasuke was halfway through with his signature, Keichi whistled._

 _"You're a lucky one. If I'd known his surname before you'd signed I wouldn't have spared even you a glance, Miss Hinata. I don't know what he's done to trick you but you'd best get out before it's too late" the older man stated, nearly ripping the agreement out from under Sasuke's hand not a second after he had made the final stroke. The realtor looked at the basket of fruit for a second, pushed it off the table and onto the ground, and strode away without so much as a "good bye."_

 _"Sasuke-kun, don't" snapped Hinata, grabbing his wrist. He glared at her. How dare she-_

 _"Whether you like it or not, the members of your clan weren't the perfect citizens you remember in your rose-colored memories. I'm not saying the Hyuuga are the most upstanding either because we have our share of skeletons. But if you're going to start c-changing the hearts of people toward you and healing the Uchiha reputation I'm willing to stand by you and help you all I can because Naruto-kun loves you and for the sake of the village. But you aren't a rogue avenger anymore and you can't just murder whomever angers you if you want to rebuild an Uchiha clan to be proud of" she said, throwing the wrist she'd caught down by his side._

 _As she strode away from him, not angry but not happy either, he found himself a little at awe. She was indeed turning into Uchiha material._

 _And maybe he had edged just a little bit toward not totally dreading the upcoming ceremony. But just a little bit._

* * *

 _The announcement had settled over the village the next day, leaving most everyone in a sort of disoriented awe._

 _Meanwhile, Hinata was overwhelmed with a terrible mix of emotions. Frustration, sadness, rage, fear, and heartbrokeness swirled around inside her, unseen by all but those who knew her best. Six weeks was such a short amount of time. Her father had informed she and Sasuke of the set date almost the moment they had returned from settling on a property for the future Uchiha compound-her future home. Their future home. They weren't even waiting until her birthday passed. She was so young! She'd assumed, perhaps a bit naively, that she'd have at least six months. She wouldn't even be 17 yet!_

 _But it didn't matter, she realized. Not when everyone would be getting what they wanted. The village board members, at least in their minds, would have at least a somewhat decent hold on the last of his line and the Sharingan. Like he gave one damn about her. She had settled into the idea eventually, especially when Naruto had announced that he would be leaving the village as an envoy to the other villages for at least six months. He was a well-known face during the war as well as the embodiment of their hope now in the aftermath. Sending him would ease the negotiation of post-war ties very nicely as a unified future grew brighter and brighter._

 _Their next appearance in public had been a disaster. Hinata had been prepared for it, having been to pick up the results of her blood work the evening the announcement had hit the village. Sakura's demeanor clearly showcased her disdain and, Hinata had known instinctively, was been just a foretaste of what was to come._ _As she and Sasuke walked into town for lunch, her instincts had rung true. It hadn't grown violent, thankfully, but the glares were obvious and made Hinata's hair stand on end._

 _Oh, and the sobbing fangirls that had practically surrounded them in the restaurant hadn't been the most pleasant either. How could one man be so simultaneously loved and hated in the same village?_

 _She'd had several insults spewed her way; everything from her looks to her status to her virginity was dragged out, spat on, and pummeled into the ground. In their genin days, Sasuke knew she would've stammered and stuttered and ran away before they'd even sat down. But the woman across the table from him was composed and if he wasn't crazy, he was sure he saw a slight glint of amusement in her eyes._

 _She hadn't responded once and she and Sasuke had continued on conversation as normally as possible. As they rose to leave, one of the girls reached for Hinata. Damn, he hadn't wanted this to go south so soon. He was going to have to-_

 _To his surprise, Hinata's pale hand snagged the one reaching for her with quite a bit of force. He saw the girl wince._

 _"Listen well and listen all of you" Sasuke was surprised at the harshness in her tone. She was fed up._

 _"Because I won't be speaking to any of you again. I'm not the type to mess with public announcements. I am the future wife of Uchiha Sasuke. He chose me for a reason and he did not, even in your wildest fantasies, choose any of you. I am tired of being crowded and if it continues, or if I hear that anyone has tried to lay a finger or any other body part on him, I will show you all why I survived the war" she semi-bluffed semi- stated._

 _Sasuke felt tingles run up his spine. This was **hot** and he couldn't help but be intrigued and semi-turned on by this new woman he had found in place of the shy genin girl._

 _It worked. The fangirls bolted, faster than he'd ever seen them. And that was saying something, he'd been chased by them enough to know their top speed. But that was over now, he realized with a sudden elation. Because of her. He grinned as they strode out the door. Perhaps having a wife wouldn't be such a bad thing after all._

 _Hinata whispered "Is this what you've had to deal with? I knew it was bad but this is..."_

 _"Tame, Hinata-chan. This is tame" her eyes had shown surprise but she had nodded to indicate she now understood. Their day continued quite normally._

 _"Hinata-chan!" Sasuke sighed inwardly. It's just one thing after another._

 _Oh no. Please no. Not now. Not yet._

 _"Oi! HINATA-CHAN!" echoed even louder. Sasuke could tell from Hinata's reaction that this wasn't going to be easy. Her fingers dug into his arm for several seconds before she composed herself and turned around, her arm leaving his._

 _The owner of the voice finally caught up to them, panting._

 _"I'm leaving the village tomorrow but I heard something weird" he said, nodding to Sasuke._

 _"Hinata-chan, are you engaged?" he asked a little shyly._

 _"Y-Yes, I am Naruto-kun. F-Father has seen it fit for me to wed as quickly as possible"_

 _"Oh. O-Okay Hinata-chan" he said, seeming a little dejected._

 _"Why, Naruto-kun?" This was slightly almost completely killing her._

 _"Oh, no reason. I just heard a rumor and was wondering if it was true. So who's the lucky guy-" Hinata giggled. He'd grown a lot but was still a little oblivious._

 _"I am" Sasuke said, finally adding his voice to the conversation. He didn't realize it yet but he was a little miffed that the blonde could get her to giggle like that._

 _"Looks like you've regained your sense of humor pretty quick, Sasuke" replied Naruto, laughing._

 _"N-Naruto-kun, it's true. Sasuke-kun and I will be married in December"_

 _The blonde all but jumped back._

 _"Well congratulations then" he said, a little taken aback._

 _"Thanks" sneered the Uchiha, steering Hinata away. "Hey Sasuke! Treat her right, okay?" shouted Naruto as they hurried away. Sasuke hadn't responded._

 _"I won't tolerate affairs, especially with him" Sasuke whispered angrily._

 _"Sasuke-kun, I'm engaged to you" she retorted, a little shocked at his insinuation. "_ _You asked for openness and I gave that to you with the impression that it would be appreciated. You'd have more cause to worry if I had tried to hide it from you-"_

 _"You giggled" he stated, nearly dragging her down the street._

 _"Yes, and that's practically the same as a candlelit dinner and dessert in bed afterward-" she blushed at the boldness of her statement. She didn't usually state things so boldly but she was tired of her loyalty being questioned._

 _"Have you fantasized about that?" he growled accusingly._

 _"What?! No!" Hinata whispered back incredulously._

* * *

 _Their first argument had continued all the way back to the Hyuuga compound._

 _They'd kept it quiet but the volume increased as they crossed the privacy of Hyuuga property. The sun was already low in the sky and they sat on the bench they came to first._

 _Sasuke was still suspicious._

 _"Look Sasuke-kun" she sighed._

 _"You wanted honesty and openness. I've given you that and won't try to hide anything from you but I expect the same in return. It's going to take us both a long time to trust one another deeply and not just superficially. But let's not make it harder by choosing not to trust from the start"_

 _He eyed her warily. She looked innocent enough he supposed. He leaned back, observing the late afternoon sun. She'd gotten the best of him twice now and he had to say it was a little appealing. Maybe more than a little..._

 _He smoothly slid his arm around her shoulders, surprised by the ease with which she settled into the innocent embrace. There was a semi-comfortable silence for several minutes._

 _"Why is this so easy for you? Why is it so easy for you to just give up on what you want? Why just put up with something-with someone- you don't like?" he demanded, seemingly out of nowhere._

 _"I never said I didn't like you, Sasuke-kun. I've known you for years, though I don't know all that much about the time you were missing. I will listen if you want to tell me about it one day" she said as he further narrowed his eyes. " I don't know if we are the best suited personality wise but I have no personal vendetta against you._ _Love isn't about me" she continued, even leaning her head on his shoulder. It was his turn to be stilled by the close contact. "And whether you know it or not" she continued after several beats of quiet "you want to love and be loved too. It's part of being a clan"_

 _She was right. For the third time now he felt like an idiot. Where the hell had his smooth, uncaring and witty demeanor gone? Wasn't he the one that had said he wanted a clan not founded on deceit and hatred and lies? What if he didn't know any ways but those ways?_

 _The dinner bell sounded, disengaging his thoughts._

 _They walked hand-in-hand into the dining room, much the pleasure of the other clan members._

* * *

 _As the weeks had passed, the members of the village had given their grudging acceptance though most of their friends were somewhat distant. It would be months before she would be able to comfortably speak with Sakura and Ino again. Tenten was okay and Lee hadn't ever wavered in his kindness toward her. They missed Neji too. But neither of them really knew what to say to her after his death and particularly after the announcement of her engagement. Lee still waved when he saw her but didn't approach with his usual sunny disposition. It was hard for both of them to see the Hyuuga eyes, she knew. Though different, her eyes were too close to his eyes._

 _The one exception had been Temari. Being from another village, she hadn't been hit quite as closely by the Avenger's betrayal and now seeming-reconciliation. She'd come to see Hinata as she was visiting, inviting her out to lunch._

 _Hinata had had to convince Sasuke to let them dine alone. They hadn't missed having a meal together in the three weeks since the announcement. Some of his fans were grasping at the hope he would break the engagement off, though it was doubtful with just three weeks to go until the ceremony._

 _Temari was more considerate than people gave her credit for. The woman was a self-made jounin and high caliber ninja to boot. But she also knew to avoid topics until others wanted to discuss them._

 _"I'm marrying Uchiha Sasuke in three weeks" she said abruptly in the middle of the conversation._

 _"I heard. Do you want to talk about it?" the blonde inquired, sipping her tea._

 _Hinata didn't know how it happened but she had spilled everything to this woman. Maybe it was because she was more objective than the others, never having been in love with Sasuke or a citizen of Konoha. Maybe it was because this woman, unlike most of the other women in a twenty mile radius, wasn't glaring daggers at her or insulting her or tearing her down. There could have been dozens of reasons but it gushed out like a waterfall and at the end, Hinata was a little embarrassed._

 _To her surprise, the other woman was grinning. "You're not as opposed to it as I thought you'd be. Sasuke won't make the best husband right off the bat but he's good at learning. Perhaps a bit too good" she smirked, trying to make a little light of it._

 _"If the last few years have shown anything, it's that he cares about his clan" she continued._

 _Funny, she was right. Just getting it off her chest had been nice but now she was feeling like a future with the Uchiha wouldn't be quite as agonizingly terrible as she'd once thought. But he still wasn't Naruto. And with that her demeanor had fallen again, the mere thought of the Jinchuuriki griping her heart._

 _"Hinata, have you ever been lingerie shopping?" Temari wasn't normally one to get involved but she was currently going through the same situation in her uncertain relationship with one Nara Shikamaru._

 _The sudden question caught Hinata off guard._

 _"N-No" she said, the thought of intimacy with the Uchiha bringing out her old shyness._

 _"Would you like to go with me? I'm not good at these things and need a second opinion..." she said._

 _Hinata supposed she should get used things like this. Years of etiquette training demanded she be as good a wife as possible to anyone and that included the Uchiha. It also included learning his sexual appetites and giving into his desires as much as possible. She wasn't sure what he liked, couldn't even have an inkling, but she knew most men liked lingerie._

 _"Sure" she responded. "When?"_

 _"Now?" suggested the blonde, raising her eyebrows._

 _Hinata felt impulsive. She was supposed to meet Sasuke as soon as she was done with lunch. He was distant, yes, but possessive of what was his and what was to-be his. She didn't care._

 _"Let's go" she'd said to Temari._

* * *

It was now, staring into the pupil-less eyes that were the opposite color of hers, that she recalled the shopping trip. She didn't have a long time to recall it though as his face was coming towards hers and there was a genuine smile gracing his lips.

* * *

Sooo sorry for all the flashback but I've always wanted to try and tell a story this way. Let me know what you think! (This entire story isn't in flashback, we're about to move on. Hinata's just replaying everything about the past few weeks in her mind). Due to interest, I've extended the length of this story to 8-10 chapters. Are they better at being in character? And sorry not sorry for spoiling you all with quick updates; I'm over-correcting for my year-long hiatus on my other stories :P

-Pi-chan! :)


	5. Chapter 5

Last chapter with flashback! Yay! :)

* * *

Sasuke had learned many things during his time with Orochimaru. Though seduction was one of Orochimaru's least favorite topics, the Sannin had insisted he learn how to seduce and how to avoid seduction. It hadn't been all that difficult; Sasuke, as consumed by his precious goal as he was, never really thought twice about women. His fangirls had also not encouraged his interest any. Didn't any woman lead her own life without being consumed with idiotic notions and fantasies of him? Even the numerous women Orochimaru had provided for his training had barely made him bat an eye. But, as with most things, he'd learned very well.

How to use his hands in the most advantageous way.

How to navigate a woman's body with confidence.

How to elicit gasping moans or pleasured screams.

How to weasel information out of a given target.

How to murder mid-orgasm so the listeners weren't suspicious until it was too late.

How to remain unaffected by their typical tried-and-true tactics.

How to ignore fingertips and lips trailing over his skin.

But there was one thing he hadn't done. He'd absolutely refused to enter a woman. That honor belonged to the woman who would help him rebuild his clan. The Uchiha blood was too precious and too pure to bed with a common whore; no, he would remain unstained until the day he was cemented to a woman who could bear his seed honorably.

So Uchiha Sasuke: avenger, murderer, possessor of the Sharingan, wielder of the Susano'o, contracted summoner of both snakes and hawks, once traitor of the Leaf Village, was a virgin. Technically.

And he refused to share his bed with a woman who had been with another man. Whether it was love or not, Uchiha Sasuke was possessive of that which was his and his wife was one of the most important jewels in his crown.

Which led to the pair of white eyes next to him on the picnic blanket widening in surprise. And to the familiar shade of rose dotting her face. He imagined that blush continued down her body but had no way to confirm that. She was still wearing that same _damn_ lavender jacket. Yes, he would burn it as soon as their nuptials were complete.

* * *

 _"Are you a virgin, Hinata-chan?"_

The question was a little unexpected after Sasuke's silence during their walk. It was a high noon on a crisp, late autumn day and would probably be one of the last days of the year on which an outdoor picnic would be acceptable. It was a little chilly even now but Hinata was thankful because it gave her an excuse to wear her jacket.

She should've expected this question. And he had a right to know, seeing as the wedding was exactly a week away.

Breaking her thoughts, she realized that he was still looking at her for an answer.

"I suppose I should take your hesitation as a good sign?" he inquired, quirking his eyebrow slightly.

"I-I-I yes" she managed. This topic and this topic alone could still rend her stuttering from dawn till dusk.

"I've never even been kissed" she admitted, shyly breaking eye contact with him and looking down at her knees which were folded to her side.

She didn't see Sasuke's eyes round slightly at the confession or see his slight smirk as he adjusted his angle and his head.

Spiky black appeared in her vision and before she could quite grasp what was about to happen, Uchiha Sasuke's smirking lips had captured her own. Several seconds passed before she opened her eyes, made the slightest bit of sense out of the situation and promptly backed away, half-standing and nearly tripping backwards during her escape attempt.

His chuckle reached her dazed ears. "That's certainly something I've never seen before. Women usually go wild or at least rip my shirt off when I kiss them. Or did you not get the memo?"

His amusement was apparent. Hinata regained herself quickly.

"S-So you aren't a virgin?" she inquired, throwing his own question back at him. She wouldn't expect him to be so but-

"I suppose you have a right to ask that. Technically, yes. If you settle back down beside me, I will explain further" he said, motioning his hand toward her. He had a way of being devilishly charming when he wanted to be and she obeyed, listening intently to his story.

"That's actually pretty noble of you, Sasuke-kun" she commented after he had finished.

His lips pursed slightly, almost as if he was pouting at her. "What's with the surprised tone?" he demanded.

"Ooooh...nothing" she teased, turning away from him to reach inside the bag she had brought with her. Before she could unclasp the latch holding the bag closed, she felt a firm hand grip her other wrist.

He whipped her back around to face him. "Do you not think me noble?" he asked roughly, closing the distance between them considerably.

"Sasuke-kun, I never said-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she was pinned beneath him. His hands held hers firmly to the ground and his legs trapped her lower body. He was exerting too much pressure if this was just playing around.

"Am I not from the Uchiha clan? Does my noble lineage mean nothing to the almighty Hyuuga clan?" he sneered, staring her directly in the eyes. He felt her heartbeat pick up as she assessed the position they were in. The silence drew on but she suddenly did something that shocked them both. She bumped her nose against his in the gentlest way. This soft gesture caught his attention more than if he had been punched in the gut.

"Sasuke-kun. I b-believe you have always done the noble thing according to you. But I do not think you have always treated others the way a true noble person-not noble in the way of blood or wealth-but a truly noble-hearted person would have done" she spoke honestly. His hard stare didn't cease.

"But that will not stop me from being a good wife to you and, perhaps even more importantly, a good friend"

The pressure he was exerting on her limbs lessened. His gaze was softening to her and his mind was redirecting to other things this position could be used for. She was indeed a different breed.

"A-And if you'd like, you may start teaching me how you like to be" she took a deep breath before meeting his eyes. _This was part of marriage too._ He waited patiently for her to finish, curiosity sparked by her tone of voice.

"kissed" she finished finally, exhaling sharply and struggling against him a little playfully.

"Is that _you_ giving _me_ permission?" he asked, already moving his face downward and closer to hers. He waited for her answer as his face settled by hers, allowing his breath to tickle her ear and causing her to giggle slightly.

"I think so" she said, traces of her giggle echoing in the words.

 _Did this mean she liked him? Or was this all just a way of pacifying him? Or playing the part of submissive wife, as was expected among the Hyuuga? Since when did he care which one it was?_

Their second kiss was nothing like she had expected. She'd expected it to be rough, demanding, and intrusive. But this, was this really Uchiha Sasuke kissing her? He feather-lightly snagged the corner of her mouth, barely moving over her lips with his own. She gathered the courage to look him in the eyes but, to her surprise, they were closed and completely concentrated on his motions over her lips.

 _Trust that whatever he's doing, Uchiha Sasuke does it with all he's got_

He applied a little more pressure, taking things extremely slow. He had thought she might've been joking but by her reactions, this truly was only her second kiss. He was jerked again by his curiosity to know whether or not the blush on her face extended to her neck and lower. He nearly removed his right palm from hers to tug the jacket's zipper down but his reason stopped him cold. If he did that, she would for sure not trust him. And he wanted trust to be rewritten in the blood of his clan, over all of the past. His hand froze and he used his as an excuse to massage her wrist lightly with his thumb.

Hinata didn't know what to do. This tender kisser, as if his lips were touching a most precious metal, who was he? Was this what the Uchiha kept hidden well away from everyone else?

She sighed a little bit and his eyes opened.

"Am I boring you?" he asked. He'd usually never take time with a woman like he was at present. They normally just wanted to get into the super sexual frantic stuff and grew tired of just kissing him. Always more, more, more.

"No" her giggle after she said it caught his attention again. It was a very pleasant sound and one he'd like to hear often.

"It was a contented sigh, Sasuke-kun" she assured him. He then realized that she had stopped struggling against his hold.

" _Trust. Trust. Trust. Trust. Trust."_

Her eyes nearly chanted the word at him. Who was he that she would trust him? She was bound to him, someone the complete opposite of who she wanted to be with, and yet how could she be happy? How could she _**trust**_ him of all people?

His internal questions halted at the feel of smooth, supple lips brushing against his own and even dancing at the edges of his. _Never_ he thought. _Never has someone returned a kiss to me with such undemanding expectations. She was certainly doing it just for him, not to get something from him._

He opened his eyes and sure enough, there she was. She pushed him back a little, breaking free of his restraints and sitting in front of him. Their eyes didn't break contact during the movement and neither of them were really sure what to do now.

"B-Before we go further" Hinata started. "Wouldn't you like to know if I am capable of bearing children?" she inquired. She was surprised he hadn't asked her the moment the engagement had been approved.

"I thought I would ask you to see Sakura sometime this week" he replied.

"Well, she's not too fond of seeing me right now..." she mentioned, trailing off when his eyes flared.

"She can get over it"

Hinata winced at his tone. Her friend truly was heartbroken and Hinata was taking her feelings into consideration by avoiding her as much as possible. She was, after all, a reminder of Sasuke to many people now.

"Well, she doesn't have to. I went weeks ago when you had to leave me in the middle of the day to go to the Hokage. I brought the results with me, if you'd like to see them. That's what I was reaching for when you pinned me" she said, taking some papers out of her bag.

She handed them to him and he accepted them automatically, eyes dropping to scan the results page.

 _Did the planets align to give her to him? They must have._

He'd never seen more perfect results. He slyly eyed her again, noting her seemingly wide hips. She was healthy in that respect too.

"I don't think the clan will have a problem" he said, awkwardly handing the papers back to her.

"That's what I thought too. I am very happy my mother's health and fertility was passed to me" she stated as she stuffed the results back into the bag.

"Are you truly? If they hadn't, you would've had an excuse not to go through with this" he said.

She was tiring of the suspicions. "Sasuke-kun, you've had much pain in your life. I am glad that I can make this aspect of your life easier for you and help you ensure a glorious and prosperous future to the Uchiha clan" she replied.

Was she still hurting? Sure.

Was it still painful to think about never being with Naruto? Completely, terribly and awfully so.

But she wouldn't let that harm this man that life had scarred so much already. She empathized with him and he had just shown he could be tender with her. That was enough.

"Damn" he said, grinning. "You're a good actress." And she was. There was not a hint of falseness in her features.

The anger in her eyes flared and he knew he had made a mistake.

"That's because I meant what I said" she stated, standing abruptly and kicking the picnic blanket so it folded over itself. She then crossed her arms and stalked from their lunching place, the top of the First's head.

 _Could she really have meant that?_ he pondered, watching her go.

* * *

Her words had returned to him in the midst of their wedding reception. The ceremony had been lovely, every clan and country had had at least one representative in attendance and all the villagers in Konoha had attended as well.

But most stunning of all had been Hinata. _Uchiha_ Hinata. Not used to seeing her without her jacket either, most of the villagers oo'd and ahh'd at the newly revealed beauty. Hiashi beamed so much Sasuke had thought he would turn into his own personal sun.

Her loveliness was luscious and exquisite in every facet. As soon as she had appeared over the crest of the sloping hill on the Hyuuga grounds, Sasuke was locked into place. He hadn't shown it and hadn't lost his cool. But he all but stumbled over the words and he saw Naruto snicker as he almost forgot to clasp Hinata's hand at the proper time.

That was the one thing. Well, one of two things wrong with this day. Naruto had showed up seemingly out of the blue. He was supposed to be gone for six months not six weeks.

"Well, negotiations with Gaara weren't all that hard..."

Sasuke supposed that made sense. The Kazekage and his friend were also great friends.

"And I had to pass through Fire country again on my way to see the Raikage and Mizukage anyway. So I figured I'd stop by for my best friend's wedding" he said, his signature grin in place.

The second thing had been Sakura. She hadn't stopped bawling during the ceremony, just as she had when he left all those years ago. _Why did she even come if it was going to be this hard on her?_

The vows were done and Uchiha Sasuke was a married man before he knew it.

The reception had passed in a blur. Hiashi made a speech about the joining of the Uchiha and the Hyuuga but he barely cared to hear a word. Their first dance came soon after that and the entire room had sighed in a mixture of envy, joy and awe. They were both graceful because of 'lady' lessons and Sasuke because of infiltration lessons.

Being akin to royalty, a four course meal had been served. But Sasuke's attention hadn't been on the food or the dancing or even the damn speech. But on her. His.

They hadn't really agreed on a time to depart. It wasn't even nine when Sasuke slipped up behind his bride and ensnared her waist with his arm.

"Anytime you're ready to leave" was all he whispered before disappearing into the crowd again. Normally, the groom would stay at the bride's side. But at a noble wedding, both bride and groom were expected to mix with most of the attendees to cement current ties or try and establish new ones. And with the Uchiha clan's fragile state, Sasuke needed all the ties he could get in other countries as well as in Konoha. He also noticed Hinata was quite perceptive with this too and he watched her go out of her way to speak with dignitaries from Water country, Waterfall country and even Mountain country.

 _Perhaps she really meant what she said_ he thought, pondering her words.

* * *

Hinata was weary of mingling. She'd kept it up for longer than she normally would, both for Sasuke and herself. These ties would be important to the future of the Uchiha clan and she herself was nervous at the coming night. She wasn't ready and she knew it. Her eyes unwittingly sought Sasuke out for the fourth time in ten minutes. He eyed the clock, noting that it was a quarter passed eleven. When Hinata's eyes met his twice more before another five minutes had passed, he got the hint.

Smoothly, he slunk through the crowd and appeared behind his wife's chair. She stood as discreetly as possible and they wound their way through the thinning crowd together, both hoping to be let go unseen.

Somehow the main attractions of the night left the reception room unscathed. It may have been the tiniest bit of genjustsu on Sasuke's part but no one else needed to know that. They both visibly let out their breath as they entered an empty corridor of the main house.

"Sasuke-kun, there's something I should tell-"

She was off her feet and in his arms bridal style before she knew it. Her father had gifted the couple with an unused cabin on Hyuuga grounds until the Uchiha compound could be completely finished, which was about six months away. Her husband immediately began making his way toward said cabin, silent as a mouse. She should've known he would remember the way after only seeing it once. It was a little awkwardly placed and out of the way. But that wouldn't trick someone like him.

Sure enough, after only a few minutes they were coming through the thicket that grew almost fully around the parameter of the secluded cabin. He nearly burst down the door before kicking it shut behind him.

"S-Sasuke-kun I-I"

His lips smothered hers. Not quite as gentle as a week ago but still quite light, this time pecking all the way across the line of her lips.

He had just opened the door to the bedroom and taken a step inside when her words reached his ears and his brain made sense of it all.

 _I'm not ready_

He set her down on the edge of the bed and retreated several steps backward. Had he heard correctly? Did he care if she wasn't ready?

 _You can hardly blame her. You were wanted by all the known world less than two months ago. Plus, she'd never even been kissed until a week ago._

Did he want to just take her? Hiashi would certainly look the other way and no way Hinata would ever bring it up to Naruto.

It would be so easy. Her beauty would tremble beneath him and he could force her to open to him, to love him, to-

 _You know true love isn't forced. Itachi died because he chose to love you. Not because he was forced to love you._

He looked into her eyes. He saw fear but, ironically, he didn't think he had caused it. She was afraid of physical intimacy.

Desicion made, he strode toward the bed, stopping to look her in the eyes. Then, after several beats of silence, smiled to reassure her and leaned in to whisper

"I will wait"

* * *

I know, I know. Not what you all were waiting for. Well...TA DA...anyway... Pleae R & R!


	6. Chapter 6

Soft winter sunlight streamed through the uncovered center of the cabin's window. This contrast to the darkness that had enveloped her over the last hours stirred the woman's senses. Her waist also felt much heavier than normal.

After several more minutes of grogginess, Hinata's mind caught up and her eyes shot open. _Uchiha Sasuke's arm was draped across her waist._

She bit down the squeal, taking in his breathing pattern. She was turned away from him but she could tell that he was still deep in his slumber. He'd asked her a few questions last night but that had been it. He hasn't forced her, hadn't even kissed her. She had had the servants stock the cabin ahead of time with her most modest winter pajamas. Not that she owned anything extremely scandalous...

Her cheeks heated up at the thought of the seductively exquisite yet somehow also extremely virginal lingerie she had acquired at the insistence of Temari.

 _The Sunian had eyed her approvingly. "That" she had said "would make any straight man beg"_

However, those garments were safely tucked away in her former main-house bedroom. She was very pleased that Sasuke hadn't forced her or even tried to seduce her. He genuinely seemed to want her compliance, dare she say her _want._

A sudden knocking echoed throughout the cabin. Instantly ready, both Hinata and Sasuke bolted upright in the bed.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. They're here for the-" she didn't have to finish.

Despite having just been jolted out of sleep, Sasuke's mind was already sharp and grasped the situation quickly. He nodded, thinking the word "proof" to finish her sentence. In a low tone, he let out a curse. Damn noble families and all their traditions.

He went to the door and asked (or, perhaps in some viewpoints, threatened) for a couple minutes, saying that his wife needed to make herself decent. Having known Hinata from a young age, both branch members cheeks reddened slightly and their discomfort was visible in their expressions. This task was one of the most degrading that Hiashi-sama had ever given them. _To give Hinata-sama to someone like him..._

Both were careful to hide their disgust until the Uchiha had shut the door once more.

Striding back into the bedroom, Sasuke bit his thumb. They didn't need a huge gush of blood. Once he got a fairly good flow going, he squeezed his thumb repeatedly to create a few droplets and tiny sprays of the substance on the sheets. It had to be believable.

Hinata's expression revealed her gratefulness to him. He nodded in return, ripping the sheet off the bed to carry it to the waiting paraders. He put on his best smirk and, as was custom, bride and groom watched from the doorway with hands interlaced, as the "proof" of their union was displayed in front of the entire clan.

The woman's cheeks and preoccupation with the ground only served to further corroborate what had happened the previous night. The sheet would not be returned to the house but burned in the middle of the grounds later in the week after hanging above the entrance to the main hall for a few days.

For show, Sasuke grinned devilishly and pulled Hinata into a dipped kiss as he shut the door on her kin. The couple could hear several hoots and hollers from the younger and less stoic members.

He didn't let her go immediately after they were out of sight. To her surprise, he held her to him and allowed a warm silence to envelope them. There was nothing sexual about this embrace; she had embraced both Kiba and Shino in this manner countless times over the years.

Yet somehow with Sasuke it was different. He hit her at a different angle than her teammates did. And she still felt, beneath it all, a little reluctance. Kiba's were always given with warmth and without restraint and Shino's with toleration and without cringing.

Hinata was actually the first one to step back from the embrace, using breakfast as her excuse. Her husband followed her to the kitchen, observing her as she worked and noting her extreme expertise at maneuvering around the kitchen. There wasn't a single wasted movement and somehow her confidence seemed to intensify against the off-white walls of the room. After she set the food before him, their meal ensued in empty silence.

In the weeks to come, their breakfast routine would scarcely deviate from this custom established on their first morning together. Sasuke would never admit it but he had grown a liking for watching her gracefully flit around the kitchen. Hinata scarcely left the cabin during the first few weeks. Remaining out of the public eye was something she did both for her sake and the sake of Sakura and Ino. Eventually she wouldn't bother with it but she would empathize with the sensitivity of the situation for the first few weeks.

Sasuke didn't really seem keen on being out and about much either. He wasn't fond of the cold and, with Naruto gone, there was no one to train with. Kakashi was busy with preparations and he didn't even think about going to Sakura. That was asking for a headache.

He'd slowly started to notice small things about his wife that he, though not acknowledged to himself, admired. The first being her acceptance of silence. She didn't feel the need to tell him the latest gossip or fill his ears with small talk. When she did ask a question, it was always genuine and always about helping him readjust to citizen life or to help her understand what he liked better.

She also didn't really demand his company which strangely made him want to be in hers all the more. She gardened the few flowers she could in the winter, cleaned the house, and trained. Some days, he swore that she forgot they lived together. Until bedtime that is. It never failed. No matter how far apart they were, his arm always ended up being snaked around her waist come the morning.

There were many things he was beginning to notice about her, though that was only natural after living together, right?

He'd also been attempting to pursue her in the little things. If they were going to produce heirs, she was going to have to get used to intimacy. Unlike fan-girls, she wanted authentic connection and attraction which, though it made his job harder, made it a challenge. And Sasuke Uchiha enjoys challenges.

He started with a few questions here and there, questions about things he couldn't learn by mere observation. Then, he started to subtly draw out her sense of humor and the giggles he received in response made the edges of his lips curl.

The call for a mission came two weeks to the day after they were married. .

"It's for me" said Sasuke. Hinata nodded at the summons. They were to report immediately after receiving the message and the estimated completion time was a week. He would be partnered with Shino and Kiba. Hinata winced. She really should have given them some explanation or at least visited them after the wedding. But she hadn't had the gumption.

She lifted her eyes from the paper to realize her husband was already striding out the front door.

"Sasuke-kun!" slipped from her mouth before she could stop it and ran over to stand just behind him without realizing it. He froze but didn't turn around.

"Come...Come back safely" was all she whispered. He said nothing and gave no indication that he intended to do so but the second before he took off, she detected a slight nod.

And she was alone.

* * *

Bounding out of the gates of Konoha, Sasuke inhaled deeply at the rush of winter air around him and the adrenaline that rushed into his system.

His two teammates had been distant but courteous, expected since they probably thought him a monster for entrapping their beloved Hinata into marriage with him. Maybe he was.

This mission wasn't all that dangerous, B-ranked. As the days passed, though, Sasuke found himself looking forward to returning to Konoha and the gates waiting to welcome him home. _Home_

That word has escaped him for years. Why did it return to him now?

He shook his head, refocusing on guard duty. He still had about an hour.

Meanwhile, Hinata had been working on letting her feelings for Naruto die. Even only living together for two weeks, she had noticed some admirable things about Sasuke. He truly seemed to want this marriage to work. Not "work" as in most political marriages where the wife turns her head as they make love and pretends it's not happening and the husband is a regular at local brothels and their relationship is laced with a cool politeness. But "work" as in work. Work work. And that gave her more hope than she'd had at its beginning.

It snowed the night he was supposed to return. She waited up for him, keeping some nourishment warm in case he needed it.

Stumbling into his cabin at 3a.m. and still shaking off the adrenaline, the last thing Uchiha Sasuke expected to see was a very alert raven-haired beauty waiting to welcome him with warm tea and _Torizosui_ (chicken-rice soup). He was grateful for the food but something about seeing her after not having seen her made his eyes hungry too.

She poured him a third cup of tea, knowing he would need some help falling asleep and to ward off the adrenaline. Before she could lift her hand off the teapot, a bigger hand settled on top of hers. Her gaze immediately jerked to his and their eyes met, drinking one another in after the absence.

"Thank you" was all he said. She noticed he had finished his third bowl of soup but didn't reach to give him more. She almost wished he would kiss her. _Almost._

"You're welcome" was all she could reply. His gaze always made her feel so vulnerable. He removed his hand, though, and turned toward the bedroom. She heard the shower start and began cleaning up the dishes before turning into bed herself.

He was already fast asleep when she crept into the bed with him half an hour later. She settled beside him, a little warmer than she had been this past week.

 _I'm glad to have him back_ she admitted begrudgingly to herself before drifting off.

* * *

A single sunflower was settled on the pillow beside her when she awoke. Barely awake, confusion marred Hinata's features as she smoothed her tousled hair with her hand. She let her fingertips drift over the soft petals. It was the middle of winter. Where on earth had this come from?

Her question wasn't answered until after she was dressed for the day; a note greeted her on the kitchen counter. In surprisingly elegant script for the infamous Uchiha Sasuke, it read:

 _"Hinata-chan, Kakashi was finally able to fit some early morning training into his schedule. I'm taking you out tonight. BBQ place, 7:00-Sasuke"_

She felt heat creep into her face. It was almost New Year's and the BBQ place was bound to be packed. What was he thinking?

Hinata tried to distract herself throughout the day. She cleaned the bathroom at least three times and the living room twice. Sasuke hadn't returned home all day and the woman found herself antsy for dinner. She started getting ready around 5:30 which was early, especially for her. She hadn't known if this was casual or formal so she chose a full length winter dress made of navy velvet. The dress itself was very plain and had no designs but a small diamond cut-out showed a little bit of skin at her collarbone.

She sighed, eyeing the clock. 5:34 it read. She normally didn't wear makeup but she didn't know what else would pass the time. Settling on a much smokier palette than she was used to, it took her three tries to achieve the correct balance-not too heavy and not too light. She also dabbled a little deep mauve lipstick on and wore her crescent moon earrings.

She glanced at the clock again. Only 6:07? Seriously? She really just wanted this to be over with. She messed with her hair for the remaining time, finally teasing it into an acceptable up do.

6:34 was an acceptable time to leave, right? She grabbed her jacket and walked maybe a little too quickly to the BBQ place. When her husband appeared, she didn't recognize the look on his face.

"I-I'm sorry. Your note didn't say what sort of attire I should wear. I didn't know so I settled for semi-formal-" she began, taking in his much more casual appearance.

"You look...nice" was all he managed. But she certainly looked more than nice. _Too much more than nice. With the New Year's festival going on, I'm going to have to be doubly aware of ogling eyes._

She gave him a timid smile in return, reaching to grip his arm, which he remembered to hold out to her at the last second. He led her to a quiet, private booth in the back corner of the BBQ place. They sat across from each other and, to her surprise, he presented her with another sunflower. He also leaned across the table to kiss her on the lips. Very chastely, true, but it was still a kiss.

"I missed your birthday while I was out on mission, didn't I?" he asked, settling back on his own side. He had chanced upon Hinata's younger sister and she had mentioned something about it.

"I-Is that what this is all about? Oh, Sasuke-kun, you don't have to trouble with my birthday..." she said, a little stunned. It was only a birthday. But she was stunningly happy inside despite that.

"I wanted to trouble with it" he assured her, just as a platter of food was set before them. Their meal, as usual, went on in silence but both were content. She seemed pleased which meant this last minute pulling together was working. He'd won a little bit more of Hinata's trust and admiration.

But he also seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly, loud shouts surrounded the booth.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HINATA!" a unison of Kiba, Shino, Akamaru, Tenten, Lee, Temari, Shikamaru, and Chouji chimed.

Sasuke had spent all day negotiating with the present people. Naruto was still gone for at least four more months and he didn't figure Sakura or Ino would really be into it. Or they would ruin the whole thing with their self-centeredness.

"Thanks everyone!" Hinata exclaimed. Is this what her husband had spent all day doing? _Oh, Sasuke-kun..._ she thought as she gazed at him.

A birthday cake was brought out and the group moved to a larger table. Sasuke actually seemed to tolerate the others' company and his willingness to do this for Hinata seemed to have eased tensions and attitudes toward him.

As they walked home later, Sasuke slid an arm around her waist and she willingly leaned in.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun" her whisper was feather light against his eardrums.

He didn't answer, didn't need to. His grip around her waist did squeeze the slightest bit. He was trying not to think about how to get her out of that dress. Normally nothing stood in the way of what he wanted. But something about the way she trusted him, about the way she had even given up her future with Naruto...something about _her_ reigned him in. He wasn't doing things just for himself anymore. He was trying to be a part of something again, rather than a separate entity altogether.

Hinata sensed his shift in mood but couldn't fathom what had caused it. They were almost home. She turned to him after the door closed, catching his eyes with hers.

They shared another of their long looks. Hinata felt her heart pick up pace. She initiated the embrace this time, though it was obvious to both of them that this was still very much "just a friendly thank you" hug. Sasuke didn't move. Her chest was big against him and he definitely rose to the occasion.

As she walked away he wondered at his intentions. Had he done these things as a means to instigate having sex with her early?

 _No_. He decided. No he had not.

* * *

Soft candlelight illuminated the sheets of paper strewn across the dining room table.

A husband and wife, married for two months, sat on opposite sides of the table. They had been pouring over blueprints for at least three hours now. Sasuke hadn't been pleased with any of the blueprints presented by the architects. The Uchiha mansion must be stately, unique, and imposing.

Hinata had yet to give him her suggestions. She was no architect by any means but she had been sketching for years now. She'd also learned a lot from the man who sold them the plot for the new Uchiha household.

"Um, Sasuke-kun, I have a suggestion" she said, walking back into the room after retrieving her ideas. She held the sketches out to him.

"Where did you get these?" he asked, eyeing the layout of the house.

"I-I drew them" she admitted sheepishly, a slight flush rising to her face. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her but said nothing. These were intriguing but...

"What if we altered the entryway like so?" he inquired, editing the design with a pencil.

And the floodgates opened. They poured over every room, discussing small edits here and there as well as the placement of each room in relation to the other rooms. Sasuke decided that he liked the way Hinata looked in candlelight. As it flickered over her lovely face, all the more alluring with her eyebrows knit in confusion Sasuke had recently decided, it gave her a air of mystery.

She gazed at him, defiantly defending her position on the dining room parameters. Her direct challenge of him roused his ire a little but his desire even more so. Before he realized his intent, she was beneath him on the table. The blueprints that had been forcibly shoved off the table seemed to float down to the floor in slow motion. But Sasuke barely noticed. His eyes were consumed with Hinata's; her accelerated heart rate reverberated around his eardrums. He'd been so careful these past weeks. No kisses since her birthday. No touches aside from when they awoke in one another's embrace.

Now, at 4a.m. in the candlelight, something had changed. Was the light playing tricks on him? No. She definitely wasn't resisting. Their eyes were locked. Almost timidly, his mouth smothered hers. She didn't move. Her head was still spinning from the change of direction.

"Sasuke-kun" she said against his lips. He tugged on her lower lip in return, trying to persuade her to open for him. She struggled and, perhaps too easily she would think later, she removed him from his position on top of her.

"Very well, I agree to your parameters" he said stoically, smoothing his shirt and holding out his hand to her. She accepted and he steadied her on her feet. They went to bed as normal, neither acknowledging what had happened.

 _Had he scared her?_

 _Did she anger him at her refusal?_

* * *

It had been an awkward day. Their early morning encounter had been a blunt reminder that Sasuke had appetites apart from the ones for food and ones that he had rights to by marriage. He'd been nothing but patient and pursuant of her. Was she being selfish?

Hinata didn't have time to ruminate on the question. As the sun set, a summons came. It was an A-ranked mission and she would probably be away at least two weeks. She barely bit back a curse as she read the list of teammates.

 _Damn. Sakura and Tenten. At least Tenten will be able to return my corpse safely after Sakura's through with it._ She sighed, rolling the scroll back up. At least she didn't have Ino to worry about as well.

"I leave in an hour" she informed, tossing the summons to her husband. She turned to take inventory of her weapons and do some last minute kunai-sharpening, zoning out as she heard Sasuke open the summoning scroll to read it.

She didn't hear him throw it on the table, trying to decide how he felt about her going on a mission. He decided, finally, that it didn't matter to him.

That didn't stop him, however, from tugging her down beside him on the couch for the next half hour.

He felt her try to pull away the first time. He glanced at the clock, noting that she really should be leaving. He squeezed her tightly against him before releasing her. She oriented herself, pulling her backpack up and slinging it over her shoulder. No words had passed between them.

"I'll return" she said, facing the door. The door clicked. And then there was silence.

* * *

Okayish maybe?

R & R!

Pi-chan! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Sasuke would not say that he missed her, exactly.

Certainly not.

On the contrary.

He was alone and that was how he liked it. Though he did blacken the wall behind the stove a bit when he tried to cook the fourth night after Hinata had left. Who had known that one had to be so attentive when boiling rice? Not one Uchiha Sasuke, that's for sure.

But other than that, it was peaceful. Neither Sakura nor Ino had bothered him once though he had glimpsed pink hair going around a corner in town one day. Kakashi still had little time for training but he had persuaded some of the "branch" members (or whatever they were called) to amuse him in the afternoons.

"It's uncanny. You two are so different but you remind me a little of him, of Neji" one of them casually remarked as he walked away one day, after the Uchiha had soundly thrashed the three of them. Again. Hinata would be returning in three days. Then...then what? Would he quit sparring? Why should he?

"I'd like to meet this Neji" he said. The member froze, woodenly riveting on the spot.

Surprisingly, Sasuke could see hints of tears at the corners of the man's eyes. On a normally stoic Hyuuga, the sight was a bit unnerving.

"I would've loved to see that. He could've given you a run for your money, Uchiha-san" the unnamed man said in a raspy whisper before turning and walking out of sight.

Sasuke was a little miffed as he settled on his couch a few minutes later, arms slung carelessly over the back.

 _Hinata would be home tomorrow._ He thought, as if he hadn't reminded himself of that several times today already. As if he hadn't kept a mental countdown in the back of his head. He'd used Ichiraku's special as an excuse and reasoning for him to eat out six nights straight but, if he were honest, for all his genius he couldn't quite grasp the cooking thing. But he wasn't all that honest, least of all with himself.

A knock sounded at the door. He all but ran.

"Hinata?" he inquired.

"Don't look so excited" huffed a smaller, feistier version of his wife. They glared at one another for several seconds before Hanabi relaxed her shoulders. He'd seemed genuinely excited to see her sister. But she didn't trust it, not for one second.

"I'm here to invite you to dinner in the main house. You're invited every night, you know. We may not be the richest family in the ninja world but I think our cooks may satiate you a little better than a seventh night at Ichiraku's" she quipped knowingly, turning to stride back to the main house before he even answered.

 _When Hinata quips like that, it's cute. She's just irritating when she does it._

But the former avenger followed the younger girl nonetheless.

* * *

It was midnight and Hinata had not returned. About 1a.m. Sasuke noticed his foot tapping and stomped in annoyance at himself. He'd been jumping at the slightest noises, straining his ears to listen for the front door opening.

Every.

damn.

time.

He scooted his chair back violently, thrusting himself upward in frustration. _But he did not miss her_ he reasoned. He just missed not being able to have dinner in peace. It was hard to be at peace with several pairs of blank eyes staring at you.

His sleep was restless. She'd be there in the morning. He was sure of it.

The bed was cold when he woke, much colder than it had been before. _Or perhaps he was imagining things._

She did not return that day either, nor the day after. Sasuke was almost going crazy. What if she'd died? Late missions were almost never a good thing. What if she was captured? Would he be able to rescue her before she was raped or worse...? What if...what if...what if...

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he did not hear the front door open. And a soft tap on his shoulder made him jump nearly ten feet in the air.

"Sasuke-kun. I'm home" a little worn though still cheerful Hinata greeted. Sasuke collected his cool quickly.

"I'm glad you're back safely" he said, attempting to put as much warmth in his voice as possible. It was all he could do not to smother her into his embrace.

 _What the hell._ He pulled her to him, her face pressing into his chest. She didn't seem to mind, though. In fact, he felt her hands clasp around his back too. Actually, they started roaming his back, caressing his spine, gripping his- _Wait a minute._

He shoved the woman back from him, eyeing her steadily. She looked surprised. Something was wrong.

Something was very, very wrong.

He resisted the urge to torture the intruder simply for trying to pull something like this off. But he had a good guess as to who it was.

"S-Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? I thought that was how a woman g-greeted her husband after a long mission?"

He gave no reply, instead curtly growling "Get OUT"

Sensing that he was not playing with her, the look-alike Hinata began to bawl and turned to run out the door. Just in time to run smack into another Hinata coming through the front door.

"AND FUCKING STAY OUT, YOU SELFISH WITCH" Sasuke growled after her.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry! She said that she wanted my keys to return the Hyuuga books she borrowed from me. I never imagined-"

He stared intently at her. Was she really her?

"Tell me about our wedding night" he said, gripping her shoulders.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, you don't think that-"

"Who was on top?" he demanded crudely. His glare told her that he wasn't kidding.

"Y-You were, of course, Sasuke-kun" came the reply.

"Wrong answer. NOW FOLLOW YOUR FRIEND, WHORE" he screamed, opening the door while dragging the second impostor by her hair. On the other side of the door, a very stunned third Hinata trembled from the look in her husband's eye. _How could they think a simple double clone would work on him?_

Sasuke scoffed and unceremoniously shoved the other girl several feet from the door, grabbed the other woman waiting outside and promptly slammed the door back in its place. The entire cabin shook with the force.

He saw confusion on this Hinata's face, understanding following quickly on its heels.

"I've seen two exact replicas of you in the last five minutes. Please tell me that you're the real one" he growled. "Tell me about our wedding night"

This one responded correctly, to the detail. "Sasuke-kun, I'm so sorry-"

He silenced her with a firm kiss, catching her mouth mid-sentence and resultingly catching her tongue with his own.

When he pulled away, his thumb dragged across her lips. "Don't ever apologize for something that isn't your fault" he commanded, gently cradling her chin between his thumb and index finger. When she didn't pull away, he used his hand to gently pull her mouth open again. He languished in the taste of her, exploring every inch of her mouth to his heart's content.

She pulled away several minutes later, saying she was exhausted from the mission.

"What took you so long?" he inquired as they lay next to one another in bed. She had timidly rested her head on his arm and he was on his side, observing her features intently.

"We arrived back in Konoha at the expected time but the interrogation took much longer than expected. We finally had to give our prisoner over to Ibiki, so-"

He nodded in understanding, leaning over to nuzzle her earlobe. _Practice gentleness._ Gentleness was definitely not something he was good at.

But it was needed for her.

"I really am glad you're back" he whispered, noting her shiver as his breath tickled her ear.

She turned on her side to face him later, after at least ten minutes of silence. She looked up at him, as if she were trying to guess his reaction before her words tumbled out of her mouth.

"I-I missed you too" she said, a slight tinge of rose coming to her cheeks. His heart beat told him that he was climbing a mountain. Or its emotional equivalent.

* * *

Days passed. Weeks blurred together. The missions picked up as the wreckage of the war was tallied. Hers were more frequent than his.

Sasuke wouldn't admit it but there were things he had actually missed about village life. Even if he didn't particularly like to talk to a ton of people, it was sometimes nice to see them just milling about. And seeing children play so care-freely, that was something he'd also missed. He stalked back from his place across from the academy. He had been overseeing the progress of the new Uchiha mansion when he had meandered subconsciously back to his old academy. Hinata's mission was supposed to be over tomorrow, on their four-month anniversary. He planned to take her on a picnic beneath the row of cherry blossom trees.

He'd also forgotten the majesty of Konohagakure in spring time. He now remembered the simplicity of life in this village, even as a shinobi and its love of a season's beauty. The days were still cool, though, and Sasuke shivered a little and drew his scarf closer about his neck.

Something else was weighing on his mind. Naruto was to return in a couple months. He would never force her but he hoped to have bedded Hinata before that happened. Then, there would be no question. Then, he wouldn't have to worry...right? His jealousy roused just thinking about it. She was his, dammit.

He came upon the mansion, just down the road from the academy as Hinata had mentioned all that time ago. It had yet to take definite form but anyone passing by could already see that it would be a magnificent structure. Certain things would take longer than first estimated as the delivery of several materials had been delayed by border wars. But the construction itself was going smoothly.

He fell asleep that night without trouble only to be awoken just after midnight by a weight settling next to him.

"Hinata-chan?" he inquired sleepily. He didn't want to be raped by some crazy fan girl.

"Strawberries" she replied softly, confirming her identity with their established code word. Both his arms came out from under the sheets and tugged her down into his tight embrace. She didn't seem to mind and slowly relaxed back into him, still replaying the latest mission in her mind.

The next morning, he surprised her by stopping her attempts to begin lunch.

"We're going on a picnic, Hinata-chan" he said without leaving room for protest. He indicated the already prepared basket slung under his arm. She almost giggled at the thought of him carrying a picnic basket. She was also touched. He had obviously planned for this, having a full basket prepared in advance.

"Okay. It's a little chilly, though" she said, linking arms with him.

"I'll keep you warm" he promised, raising his eyebrows at her blush. She leaned into his arm a little more than normal as they strolled toward his chosen spot. They had slackened a little bit on their wariness of being in public, especially since spring time was upon them.

His chosen spot among the cherry blossom trees, though, was very private. He did not appreciate the public ogling at her...or him for that matter.

As they settled on the blanket, he observed her in silence. She expertly set out all the dishes and poured the soup into bowls. She giggled when he slurped a little. She was leaning over the basket, stacking the dishes to set them back inside when he tugged her backwards so that she would fall into his waiting lap.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" she said, a little startled. He said nothing but let her adjust herself in the confines of his lap. After she seemed comfortable, his arms encased her protectively and he kissed the back of her neck once then stopped to lean against her and inhale her scent. She allowed him to hold her like this. It was nice and reassuring and comforting. She got uncomfortable eventually, though, and slid out of his grasp. She did turn back and smile at him, however, before sprawling out on the blanket. She tipped her head back to gaze at the sunlight filtering through the cherry blossoms. He settled beside her, doing the same but placing the tips of his fingers on the top of her palm. Pairs of birds flew leisurely through the air. Soft breezes carried the scent of the trees. His mind blanked and he allowed his guard to fall completely for the first time in a long time.

When Hinata looked over at Sasuke over an hour later, he was fast asleep. She pressed her palm over her mouth to suppress her amused giggles. Sitting up, she took the rare opportunity to observe her husband in such a vulnerable and open state. She brushed his hair out of his face a little bit with her fingers.

She'd been wondering what to do about him. He'd proven that he genuinely cared for her. She tingled from his kisses and found that being held against him was one of the most comforting things in the world. On her missions, he was forgotten easily enough. Until she shivered beneath the thin blankets at night or the blood of her enemies covered her, the same hue as his Sharingan. It was a little morbid, she thought privately as her eyes freely roved his features, that such a thing as blood would remind her of her husband.

He was dressed in his normal black today. Other than when he wore gray, he rarely deviated from his black and occasional red. She'd seen one green kimono in his wardrobe but that was it as far as color went. She caught sight of his palm that was still resting on top of hers. They were married. Why didn't he force her? Maybe then she wouldn't feel so awful about still being so attracted to the blonde, whiskered face she hadn't seen in four months. Why did she still like him...love him? _WHY_ she demanded of her heart.

 _It's a habit by now._ Was that all Naruto-kun was to her? Just a habit she picked up when she was a tot, an addiction she couldn't break even now at 18? There were things to love about Sasuke-kun. And they'd been married four months now. There was no going back.

And she couldn't exactly say she regretted these past months. They had been mostly happy ones, though she did miss speaking with Sakura and Ino. She hoped to remedy that soon too. She was lost in thought and didn't realize that Sasuke had stirred.

"You'd better not be having dirty thoughts, ogling me while I'm sleeping Hinata-chan" his low voice teased, grasping her wrist. The expected blush filled her cheeks and she jerked her gaze away from his chest where it had landed as she had zoned out.

"I-I-I was just..." she knew it was pointless to continue. He was going to tease her now. He pulled her so that her face was dangling above his. For years to come, he would remember his wife this way. The blue sky backdropped behind her, interrupted here and there by cherry blossoms against its blue canvas. And in the middle of his field of vision was her, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Her dark hair falling down to her waist. Her white eyes lit up with the delight of newness of spring.

Suddenly, everything turned very serious. Not serious in a harsh sense but in a very intimate sense. It seemed as though they had both suddenly seen each other for the first time. Not the first first time, but the time before. In this moment was before. Before Sasuke's heart learned its dark ways. Before it wandered down miserable trail upon miserable trail. Before his hatred for his village tore him apart. Before the love of his brother stung him sweetly. Before he drank the poison of revenge.

Before he was the last Uchiha. She saw him for what he was before and for what she wanted to help him be again. And her heart sighed.

He saw her too. Grappling with unrequited feelings for Naruto but also giving her damndest to be a wonderful wife to him. Because he was her friend too. He saw her before her father's words and her sister's prowess had eaten away at her, gnawing and gnashing away at any gladness in and of herself that she had. Before even Naruto had come to know her, he saw.

Before she was the ex-heiress or even heiress at all. He saw her for what she was before and for what he knew she could be now. And he let the guard on his heart fall to the ground for her.

Neither could ever say exactly how long they'd spent in that abyss of new understanding, that new vibrant connection, under the cherry blossom trees in the first year of their marriage. Maybe it was minutes. Maybe it was hours.

But after they left that spot, they seemed more themselves than they ever had been before. It was a part scary, a part invigorating and a part freeing. Whatever it was, it was real.

* * *

"Naruto! It's so good to see ya, man!" exclaimed Kiba, clasping the future Hokage on the shoulder before he barely got through the front gate.

"Hey Kiba! It's great to be back! Everything went well. How'd you know I'd be here?" he asked, clasping the man's shoulder in a return gesture.

"Come on, if you're gonna be our Hokage you'd better sharpen up!" jabbed the Inuzuka playfully as he tapped his nose.

"Smelled ya coming a mile off"

Naruto gave a hearty laugh. "Right, right. So, how've things been around Konoha? Anything new?"

Kiba shook his head. "Not a whole lot, actually. Typical summer time stuff"

Naruto nodded, surveying the rebuilding. Konoha's population was growing rapidly too. Its performance during the war had made many think it the safest place to settle.

"How's Hinata-chan?" he asked, trying his best to be sly.

"Don't see her much. She's been on a helluva lot of scouting missions since the end of the war. Hokage-sama's been needing her to survey and look for traps, ya know. And with Neji gone..." Kiba trailed off. That subject was still tender with a lot of folks. Sure, there were plenty of Byakugan users left but Hinata and Neji had been an irreplaceable team.

"Actually, she did come by my compound the other day for the first time in a long time. Said she woulda come by sooner if she hadn't thought that...y'know...me and Shino were offended by the wedding" he said awkwardly. Man was he stumbling into all of the awkward topics today.

Naruto seemed to be in a distant fog. _Unusual for him_ thought Kiba but dismissed it.

"It's the weirdest thing, ya know. Shino and I both were pretty upset when we heard about it, especially with it being so soon after the war and all. But...and she doesn't know this so don't tattle...I've been kinda watching them secretly and the way he takes care of her is...well let's just say that he seems to have channeled all that energy from revenge into devotion to Hinata. I've never seen anything like it really. He's still pretty cold and wary of others but with her he's just...different. Not on the outside, of course. To most people he treats her very coldly in public. But that's just cuz they aren't trained to see what ninjas see and read what we read..." Kiba trailed off, feeling weird about his monologue. The blonde definitely should've interrupted him by now. But Naruto didn't really seem to be paying all that much attention.

"Oi! I'm answering your question Naruto!" he shouted, shaking the blonde lightly.

"O-Oh sorry Kiba" he said, customarily rubbing the back of his head. "I was just thinking about how much I'm going to have to inform Hokage-sama about. I sorta slacked off on my mission reports and now I have to try and remember everything..." he played off casually with his signature grin.

Kiba returned the grin. "Same old Naruto in some ways" he commented. "Anyway, I should be going. See ya!" he said, turning to bound back to his compound.

"Oh and Naruto. Sasuke is on a mission right now so don't bother trying to find him. He and Tenten and Shino left three days ago but they should be back soon" he informed before disappearing completely.

The information barely registered with Naruto as he set his path toward the Hokage tower.

* * *

The raven-haired Uchiha felt a rush of happiness as his team broke back through the gates of Konoha. He and Hinata had left on very good terms. His future was looking bright for the first time in...well ever.

The early morning light was just breaking over the village as he walked back to their cabin on Hyuuga property. The cabin they'd only have to occupy for a short while longer. Not that he didn't appreciate his father-in-law's generosity but somehow having their own, separate place made the whole thing seem more official.

The edges of his lips curled as he realized there was no note on the counter. That meant she hadn't been called away on the mission. With the way he was feeling, he just might kiss her awake.

His stomach plummeted at the sight of the empty bed. It was still made too. _She didn't sleep here._ His mind raced through the possibilities.

 _Temari's. She must be there._

Ever suspicious, he went to check. The blonde was awake and having early morning tea with a certain Nara heir.

"She isn't here, Sasuke-san. Are you sure she's not-"

He didn't even wait for her to finish before bounding off.

"I hope this doesn't turn into something troublesome" muttered Shikamaru, half yawning through the sentence.

"At least he's doing something about the woman he wants" she snapped back, rising from the table.

Just why the hell did she think he was here this early?

Meanwhile, Sasuke searched everywhere he could think of. Shops, restaurants, the Hokage tower, the training grounds. He even checked the Inuzuka clan household.

"Woah, I thought I smelled something funky" joked Kiba, emerging from the compound. He'd scented Sasuke on the warm summer wind wafting through his bedroom window a few minutes ago. The smell, though familiar to him, was a rare scent to catch wind of around his compound.

"No, I haven't seen Hinata for a couple days. Oh! You should know that Naruto returned yesterday and he was asking about you-"

Kiba backed away as Sasuke's eyes flashed menacingly. _NARUTO_ the Uchiha hissed in a way that made Kiba shiver. Without another word, Sasuke took off and left Kiba Inuzuka to wonder exactly what he'd said.

* * *

He couldn't believe it. The Jinchuuriki had been back one night. ONE FUCKING NIGHT. And his wife had already ran into the blonde idiot's arms. What was almost seven months of marriage to her? Nothing apparently. Sasuke didn't remember the last time he'd been this angry. He barely contained his lightening blade as he knocked on the door.

* * *

Naruto groaned. Who the hell was knocking on his door at 6:47 in the morning? On the morning after he'd just gotten back too.

"I'm coming. I'm coming, sheesh" he yelled.

He went to get up, finding his chest heavier than he expected. It was then that the woman sleeping on top of him startled at the sudden movement.

Wait. Wait wait wait waiiiiiiit a second. What exactly had he done on his first night back? Turned into Ero-sennin? He opened his eyes, startled to find a pair looking back at his.

"Wait here" he said, pushing her off him and running to the door in his boxers. He barely dodged the blow.

"DON'T TRY AND COVER IT UP"

A screaming Uchiha burst through his doorway, frantically scanning the room with his eyes. His eyes landed on the woman on the bed. They narrowed.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me" Sasuke exclaimed, turning to face Naruto.

"Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are" shrugged the blonde, cheeks reddening slightly as he glanced at the pink-haired woman still situated on his bed.

"This is just too fucking funny" Sasuke spat. He really did feel like throwing his head back and laughing.

"Anyway, what's your problem Sasuke? The hell are you doing here? I mean it's great to see you but couldn't this wait-"

A much calmer Sasuke spoke. "I was looking for Hinata. I returned from my mission and couldn't find her" he said quietly, ignoring Sakura. It was about time these two got together. Now they'd wear each other out and leave him alone. He didn't acknowledge it but it irked him that his best friend was getting more than him and from someone that wasn't even his wife at that. He was also livid with himself for going on a jealous rampage so easily.

"Well, she isn't here. Why would you even think-" Naruto's voice trailed off as his brain finally caught up with the events of the last minute.

"Sasuke, man, she's your wife. Hinata-chan would never even look at another man. Loyalty's one of her best qualities" he said, slightly amused at Sasuke's insane jealousy too. He just might've fallen for his shy friend. He winced, knowing he could've had the Hyuuga beauty. He just hadn't been quick enough about his feelings after the war. Not that anyone saw the Uchiha-Hyuuga match coming.

"I've checked everywhere else" fronted Sasuke, attempting to save at least a little face.

Naruto rubbed his chin. "If you know she's not on a mission and she's not on the Hyuuga grounds, I would check the cemetery" he said thoughtfully. He knew Hinata missed her Neji-niisan more than anyone else even if she had put on a good face during the war and in its aftermath. And even all these months later, he doubted someone like Hinata would've fully healed.

"Why check there?" inquired Sasuke, already turning to leave. That was the one place he hadn't checked.

"If you don't know by now, I think it's best she tell you" Naruto said, sounding surprisingly mature. _Maybe that trip had done him some good after all_ thought Sasuke.

Without so much as a second glance, the Uchiha nodded. Naruto turned his attention back to Sakura who was still clutching the covers to her breasts. He raised his eyebrow. He never drank so there was no reason he shouldn't remember how she ended up here.

"I-I can explain..." she said. Naruto settled into one of his dining room chairs. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this explanation much.

* * *

Yeah, I know. I shouldn't tease you all and post chapters so close together. But hey, I had some extra time and just couldn't stop writing about these two! :)

Trying to do each chapter at around 4,000-5,000 words (this one is 4,805). Tell me if you want them to be longer or shorter or whatever you want really!

Also, right now this is going to be about a 8 to 10 chapter story so let me know if you want it longer than that!

-Pi-chan! :)


	8. Chapter 8

Finally, he found her.

As soon as he saw her, though, he almost wished he hadn't. She was curled on her side with her head by a grave marker. Tear stains stood out angrily against the smooth, pale white of her cheeks. Her closed eyes were a little puffy too and even in sleep her face bore an expression of pained sadness, deeper than the tears could soothe.

She did not stir when he landed softly on the other side of the headstone.

 _She must've fallen asleep here last night_ he concluded, noting the accumulation of early morning dew on her hair and clothing. Even though it was the middle of summer, he didn't want her catching a cold. As he bent to scoop her up in his arms, the name inscribed on the stone caught his attention.

 _Hyuuga Neji_

The name faintly rang a bell, somewhere deep in his memory. He couldn't fathom where he and this person would have met. _But that's the second time the name Neji has come up in connection with Hinata recently._ He glanced down at his sleeping wife again, the innocence of her face still marred by sorrow.

 _Is she hiding something from me? Something about her and this Neji?_ he pondered, feeling a flicker of anger once more. Her palm gripped the edge of the grave tightly, even in her sleep. Still, now was not the time to be wondering about any relationships she may have had.

Sasuke was a little unnerved when she did not stir as slid his palms beneath her back. He realized, with a sort of false amusement, that he'd never touched her back this much. Not even when he lifted her off the ground was she pulled from her slumber. _What if someone else had found her?_

He didn't like thinking about that. He'd have to scold her for leaving herself out in the open like that. Even in Konoha, something unsavory could very well happen. Her long hair nearly fell to the ground as he carried her back to the Hyuuga grounds, swaying in the morning breeze. Even after spending a night outside crying, her scent subtly invaded his senses. And it was intoxicating.

Suddenly she sighed and he looked down at her, expecting to see her eyes open. She sighed a second time and this time Sasuke barely caught her words.

 _"Oh, Neji-niisan..."_

* * *

Hinata bolted awake. This was her bed but she didn't remember coming back last night. Had something happened? What-

"I'm glad you're awake" a familiar voice greeted her. It was then that she noticed her husband settled at the foot of the bed. His tone was one of relief but underneath she detected something else. Could he have been worried?

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! I'm so sorry I wasn't awake when you returned"

"You weren't even in the cabin" he snapped, eyes narrowing in her direction.

 _She hadn't been_ \- Her head spun a little bit and she fell back on the pillow. He crawled up beside her immediately, anger still glittering in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I just-I-"

"Do you know what could've happened to you?" he demanded, grabbing her chin a little roughly. He made sure she was looking him straight in the eye.

"You didn't even wake when I lifted you up. What if someone else had found you? Are you that stupid to think you're completely safe in Konoha?" he ranted, accusingly shaking her head lightly. Even though her mind was still a little foggy with sleep, it occurred to her that he was lecturing her more out of concern for her well being than the absence of food upon his return. Her small smile only served to further extend his ranting.

"I'm sorry I worried you, Sasuke-kun" she said, all but ignoring his rant. He stopped short, a slight blush dusting his cheeks.

"I wasn't...I just like to know where everyone is at all times" he said, closing his eyes and jerking his head away. He felt a pair of arms come around him and felt a pair of smaller lips gently engage his own. They'd never kissed in bed before and she certainly had never initiated it.

But she pulled away all too soon. "What time is it, Sasuke-kun? I'm afraid I've overslept" she admitted. She still couldn't believe she had fallen asleep in a graveyard. What had that looked like to her husband?

"It's almost three in the afternoon" he responded, his mind still occupied with the kiss and the shape of her lips.

She noted his distraction. She'd been trying to mentally prepare herself for the long-delayed consummation but she needed a little bit longer. _How long will you say that?_

"I somehow managed to not starve" he said bluntly. He still seemed a little angry, although she couldn't imagine why. And Sasuke wasn't about to ask her about the man whose grave she had been clutching. It's not like he _cared._ At least the man was dead now.

"Yesterday was-would have been- his birthday. That's why I went to go visit him. He always hated it when people made any fuss about his b-birthday but I just couldn't..." she said suddenly. Tears no longer came, though her voice cracked as her fallen face stared blankly at the sheets covering her. No, for now her tears were long gone. Talking about him still felt like nails dragging down the inside of her throat but Sasuke deserved to know.

The Uchiha said nothing. If she'd been lying to him about another man, it served him right for ever trusting her in the first place. He cupped her chin again, roughly pulling her gaze to his. He saw her depth of mourning, a part she'd kept well hidden until this moment, even from him.

"Are you truly a virgin?" he asked bluntly, coming closer to her. If she wasn't there was no need to wait any longer. Had she been playing coy with him all this time? Had the picture of her innocence from that day under the cherry blossoms, the one that was with him constantly on missions now, was that picture of her a lie?

"S-Sasuke-kun, of course" she sputtered, confused by the turn of direction in his mood. Why would he think-

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! Neji-niisan and I weren't like that..." she said, almost choking on his name. She hadn't said it aloud since the war. At least, she didn't know that she had when his dying expression haunted her dreams.

He looked unconvinced. The floodgates broke. She was sobbing again, her tear ducts somehow having miraculously found a new reservoir. Beginning at her third birthday, she reiterated her-their- entire history. Sasuke was silent as he took this all in.

She couldn't look at him as she told him of her weakness during the war, of his sacrifice. Of how it should've been her that died. Of how his face sometimes haunted her steps, especially during missions. She saw Neji's dying words written in blood on the white sheets. And there was silence in the aftermath of this confession. She finally gained the courage to look back up into his face and what she saw reverberated to her core. _He's...he's crying!_

Sasuke Uchiha sat before her, hands still lightly gripping her forearms. His empathy startled her, as if she was a clear stream and he could easily understand the agony she felt over Neji. She had never felt so transparent in someone's midst all her life. She wanted to hold him, comfort him now too.

 _Don't push me away_ she wished silently as she went to embrace him. He clutched her tightly.

"He was your Itachi" he whispered before digging his head into her shoulder and shuddering against her as he cried. And cried. And cried.

And she started crying again too. Briefly, it occurred to Hinata how strange it was that she and Uchiha Sasuke were having a sob fest on a bed together. A year ago this would have seemed so impossible. But as she sat here, letting her own tears dry and stroking the back of his head in comfort, she realized she was glad that it wasn't impossible anymore. They fell back on the bed together, exhausted from crying. Sasuke's sore eyes closed and for once his head settled just below her breasts. It was too hot for the covers in the afternoon sunlight so they napped just as they were, comforted and feeling quite unsure of the vulnerability they had just shared.

 _So this is what marriage is for..._

* * *

Hinata woke up in time to make dinner and succeeded in not disturbing Sasuke when she slipped out of bed. She needed a little alone time to process what had just happened.

 _He was so human._ Somehow she felt as if she had overlooked that fact in these past months they'd been married. How silly she was. He missed his older brother as much as she missed Neji. She would have never believed someone could empathize with her on that level, let alone Uchiha Sasuke. All the little caveats of her pain had appeared clear as day to him.

She made Sasuke's favorite dish and it was the smell wafting through the cabin that pulled him out of bed. _He was such an idiot!_ That display had surely made her think less of him. So he was even more surprised as he smelled his favorite dish and walked out to find her serving dinner.

As with most of their meals, there was silence. But it was a different silence than before-warmer almost-if Sasuke had to put a word to it. She stood to pick up the dishes and walked to the sink. Sasuke leaned back in his chair as the water started, allowing his eyes to rake over her form.

Grinning, he decided to try something new. He silently crept up behind Hinata and, without warning, ensnared her waist with both of his hands. The gasp he heard didn't sound startled, exactly, more like...exhilarated? Did he dare hope?

She made no move to get away and picked up the plate and the wash cloth she had dropped in surprise, continuing on with the chore. She didn't notice until a few minutes later that Sasuke was leading her in a rhythm and they were swaying back and forth in unison. Even after she finished the dishes, Sasuke did not stop. She leaned back into him, sighing contentedly as they continued rocking. Hinata also felt strange. This act of moving together had a deeper meaning but...she didn't seem to be able to quite grasp it.

"Would you like to go watch the fireworks tonight?" she asked a little while later. The swaying stopped. The summer fireworks were lovely and these were said to be from a strange, far off land in celebration of their Independence Day.

"You mean you don't get enough of fireworks with your sister around?" he joked, nibbling on her ear and releasing her from his hold. She shook her head, giggling at his silliness. He wasn't that way very often but she adored it when he was. Who'd have thought Sasuke Uchiha was one for puns?

"Sure, when do they start?" he asked, pleased that she had let him hold her. Maybe they were getting somewhere after all.

"Nine I think" she replied. She wanted to wear her white and orange summer kimono. But she also wanted to match Sasuke.

"I also got something for you, Sasuke-kun" she said, pulling an sunset orange kimono out of her closet.

"What is that?" he asked.

"I thought you'd look good in orange..." she said, making slight puppy dog eyes at him. "I also wanted to match you, you know, since we're husband and wife and this is the first time we've really gotten a chance to go out in public together..."

The staring contest began. _I can't believe I'm even considering this._

Her lip pouted a tiny bit more. _I guess it's true. Men will do unnatural things for the women they l-_

He blinked, shoving the word forcefully from his mind. He did not love this woman. They had matched well in this marriage and he happened to be attracted to her. That was all. To hide his red cheeks, he all but ripped the garment out of her hands and stomped off toward the bathroom to change. _Ugh._ As he observed himself in the mirror, disgusted with the frighteningly bright shade. he had to admit that she had an eye for what looked good on him.

She looked lovely, too, he realized as they walked arm in arm toward the firework platform. He also realized that he did like to match her, as it subtly bespoke his possession of her. _More like we belong to each other._ He silently dared any of the people they passed to say anything about his choice in color. They made casual conversation with Shikamaru and Temari as they waited for the fireworks to start. Ino even walked up, feeling more comfortable with her old teammate present. She was courteous, especially having seen the how Sasuke obviously wanted to be with Hinata.

"Oh my g-" Ino's hands flew to cover her mouth. She was looking at a point beyond Sasuke's shoulder. Shikamaru and Temari saw it too and, to Hinata and Sasuke's surprise, laughter rang out around the circle. Even Shikamaru was laughing quite loud. Hinata peeked behind her shoulder and her cheeks flushed instantly.

 _I should've thought of that..._

Sasuke didn't understand until a familiar hand gripped him on the shoulder.

"Oi, teme, nice kimono!" an annoying voice shouted. Sasuke didn't want to look over. He really didn't. But he did anyway and his eyes could've fallen out of his head.

 _It's the same damn kimono!_

Oh great, that's just what today needed. He'd bawled like a baby, in front of his wife no less,and now he and Naruto looked like fucking Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb, in matching bright orange kimonos. Sasuke felt his hand slowly slide down his face. Why him?

The others were stifling their giggles. "I think it's cute" Temari commented. Hinata looked mortified. _I didn't mean to choose Naruto-kun's signature color...I hope Sasuke doesn't think..._

As she caught Sasuke's eye, she was relieved to find that he looked more irritated than flat out angry. She sighed in relief and, as if on cue, the first firework shot into the sky. _Whew_

She didn't hear Naruto and Sasuke's quiet conversation over the events of earlier that day.

"I won't tolerate it again" Sasuke said quietly to his blonde friend and nodded, dismissing him as he headed toward Hinata who had moved a few feet away. He wrapped an arm around her waist and tilted his head up to take in the show. If there was anything he liked better than watching the bright bursts in the sky, it was watching Hinata's expression as she took in each new one as if she'd never seen fireworks before.

That was another thing to be admired about her, he realized. She always lived as if everything were new, took pleasure in the littlest leaf and the tiniest petal. Such a point of view was certainly precious in the ninja world; it was rare for that simple joy to be unsullied even after the first genin mission. _Or earlier_ Sasuke thought bitterly. It was even more admirable that she _shouldn't_ have it. He saw the way her father sometimes looked at her and even some other members of the clan. _The failed heiress._ Their eyes seemed to chant.

Her next gasp of surprise pulled him away from the morose road his thoughts had taken and he realized the show must be ending. His eyes returned to the sky just in time to see a brilliant display of three giant bursts at the same time, followed by several dozen more.

He gripped her a little tighter and she turned to smile at him. As he watched the colors of the final firework overshadow her facial features, he was overwhelmed with the urge to kiss her but remained aware of their very public situation. The rest of the crowd milled around afterward, making small talk about the show. Sasuke was not in a mood for incessant chatter. Instead, he began to tug Hinata homeward before anyone could ensnare them in their captivating opinions about the display. She followed easily but he could tell that her mind was preoccupied.

Little did he know that Hinata was rehearsing. Rehearsing words she never thought she would speak aloud to Naruto, let alone to the last Uchiha. Words that made her very nervous. Words that would tip them over the edge. Words that he'd been waiting to here. Hinata thought that her heart had turned into a lion, like the ones that appeared on her fists. And it was roaring and clawing at its cage, her chest, desperate to escape. If Sasuke noticed her accelerated heart rate, he made no mention of it.

She had been rehearsing for the last several minutes of the fireworks show. How exactly did one go about this? Would her mouth even form the words? There was no reason to put it off any longer...

 _If you'd like, we can make our own fireworks tonight._

She cringed inwardly. That was wayyyyyyy too corny.

 _We can...tonight we can...m-make love_

Maybe this wasn't going to happen. She could barely think the words, let alone speak them aloud to herself, even less make them audible to the man strolling beside her. Said man had actually noticed her distracted state of mind but was a little clueless. His wife was also squirming, as if something was making her uncomfortable. It was at least 75 outside so she couldn't be cold. Was her stomach queasy? He refrained from asking about it, trying to appear as cool and collected and least curious as possible. He also didn't want to let on that he was so attentive to the smallest changes to her demeanor.

"S-Sasuke-kun..."

It was so soft that he barely caught it. He stopped and turned to face her. "What is it, Hinata-chan?" he asked, thankful again for her openness so he didn't have to play such a petty guessing game with himself. Under the moonlight, he could clearly see her red cheeks. What could've possibly embarrassed her? Or what did she want to discuss that was so shocking?

She wasn't looking him in the eye. Her eyes seemed to be plastered to the ground or to have at least found a very intriguing spot of dirt to study. He waited patiently, raising his eyebrows at her sharp intake of breath.

"Sasuke-kun...t-tonight we could...could we..." he watched her bite her lip in nervousness. She was also shaking? Just what was this about?

Inwardly, she almost stomped her foot in frustration. She sounded like her three-year-old self. _Just spit it out, dammit. You're more confident than this._

"Tonight you c-can have...I-I-I-I mean if you want-"

A clang in the distance. Someone had kicked a can. As the figure drew closer, the couple realized the sound had been purposeful to announce her arrival. Pink hair that had grown quite a bit in the months since she'd seen her, a waist that most women would kill for, Sakura sauntered up to the Uchihas. The expression on her face was kept cautiously unreadable. As she finally came to a stop, she almost looked sheepish.

"I really am sorry to interrupt but we have a mission, Sasuke-kun. You and me and Naruto. We're to leave immediately. It's urgent" she reported, her eyes lingering on Sasuke's face only a second before turning to dash off toward the Hokage tower. She hadn't even acknowledged Hinata.

Sasuke turned back to his wife. "I'm sorry Hinata-chan, her urgency seemed legitimate. I've got to go" he said, turning to dash home and change into more appropriate attire.

Suddenly, she was alone. Hinata almost collapsed on the spot from relief. Maybe she wasn't ready for this. _You're never going to be perfectly ready._

She continued at normal pace and was just about to round a corner and come upon the Hyuuga grounds when Sasuke, dressed in his normal colors again, appeared in front of her.

She didn't have time to be started before he pulled her into a deep kiss, having made sure no one else was in the vicinity. Sooner than he would have liked, he pulled back and then pecked her lips once more. She understood, in some mysterious way she'd acquired from living with this man, that he was saying he would miss her.

"I'll miss you too" she promised. She barely discerned the smile on his before he was gone. She spent the rest of that summer night curled up in bed, alone, and thinking of a man very different from Naruto.

* * *

Yep. Y'all gonna hayyyyt me, especially since this is likely to be your last taste for a little while. (Things bout to get real busy) but that's okay. Please R & R!

I hope I'm doing at least a little bit better at writing Sasuke's character...

Stay warm!

-Pi-chan! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Sasuke was sick of it. The next time Sakura's hand brushed his, the next time she 'accidentally' made physical contact with him, he would snap. Snap her dainty little wrist in half. Or maybe run it through with lightening.

They'd been gone almost a week already. Sasuke had found that stifling heat, Sakura, Naruto and a mission that took them through a swamp was the worst combination possible. The mosquitoes were every-fucking-where, as it was high summer, and the swampy marshland was their ideal breeding ground. Sasuke, although he wouldn't admit it, didn't have much experience navigating this sort of environment. Even in his time with Orochimaru, they'd only trained in swampland a few times so that he could get the basics. But this mission required them to practically live inside a swamp and Sasuke had had enough. Naruto, for once, had the upper hand here. Sasuke figured training in a swamp sorta went along with the whole toad-sage image.

 _Please let this mission be short_ he begged to no one in particular as the back of his head fell against the tree trunk his back had settled against moments before. It didn't look likely, though. The Hokage hadn't called them all out on the same mission for nothing. Their targets were experts in stealth and they'd had to use Sage Mode just to find them. And now they had a miserable waiting game and a game that was not going very well at that. But it couldn't be helped; these two had to be eliminated. If Sasuke's intuition was worth anything, he estimated that they had at least three weeks left.

Not for the first time since they made 'home' in the swamp, Sasuke's thoughts turned toward Hinata. He missed her blush, though he would never speak those words aloud. His hands itched to hold her and Sakura, ever observant of the Uchiha, noticed his hands flex.

"Is something wrong with your hands, Sasuke-kun? Perhaps I should have a look..."

"No" was all he said as he allowed his thoughts to flow back to Hinata. He wondered. Did she trust him? Did he trust her? He wasn't sure. She'd proven herself very loyal thus far. She always told him if she was going to be around any other men for an extended period of time that was not a mission and exactly where they would be. And he'd followed her every time he could for eight months and she hadn't lied once. She and the exact people she mentioned were always in the exact spot she'd said they would be and for approximately the time she'd said.

He'd also still been wary of her having contact with Naruto, especially outside of his presence. He analyzed her tone of speech, her body language, her everything when he came around (as if he didn't do that more than half the damn time already). But, though she was warm toward the blonde, she never flirted or gave Naruto any indication she desired anything more than comfortable friendship with him, a sibling like camaraderie.

 _How did she do it?_ Sasuke wondered. How had she let go so easily? Had she really loved Naruto that long, had she really desired to be with him for that amount of time to be able to just suddenly _drop it?_ He doubted that very highly.

For the first time in...well ever...his eyes intentionally sought out Sakura who was tending to dinner. She was certainly the best cook out of three of them when they were on mission. _She's no Hinata though_

She also still wasn't over him. He could see it in the way she casually kept distance, or tried to, but still sought him out with her gaze any moment she could. She'd liked him for what...seven or eight years now? Hadn't Hinata liked Naruto for longer? How could Hinata be over Naruto already and Sakura was not over him?

He shook his head away from those thoughts. He should not be comparing the two, even in such an innocent capacity. Hinata was nothing like Sakura. She was more subtle, more dignified, kept her cool and followed his lead easily but could take complete charge if need be.

He jerked back. "I told you my hands are fine, Sakura" he all but growled, backing up even further from her. She looked a little hurt and he supposed she was. He'd reacted as if she were disgusting to feel against his skin. But, dammit, she needed to stop finding excuses to be in physical contact with him.

He resettled on the other side of the campfire, settling his back against a log this time. Nightfall was nearly upon them and it would soon be time to hunt their targets. Missions that were required to be carried out during the night usually required more stealth and finesse and were considered slightly less dangerous than daytime missions because it was easier to sneak up on your enemies, especially if you had a sensory type ninja. And with Naruto basically having become one, favor was on their side.

Suddenly, the vision of her under the cherry blossoms flashed across his mind's eye and he was back there again. With her. Softly stroking her wrist with his thumb or settling her in his lap.

He hoped to be back soon. _very soon._

* * *

Hinata busied herself with the final preparations of the Uchiha mansion. She knew Sasuke had entrusted her with the final touches and directions and as soon as the final shipment of building materials came in the week following his departure, she was over at the new manor nearly every waking hour. It was magnificent to behold, a combination of her and Sasuke's tastes which looked even better than what they'd sketched out and discussed and bickered a little bit over all those months ago. She felt her heart soar as the last room was complete. Walking through it at sunset, moments after the final paneling was put into place, already felt so familiar to her. She already knew every nook and cranny.

She was pleased to see that she'd been correct about the dining room. It looked much more aesthetically pleasing this way and opting for a wider room had been an excellent idea. They could easily entertain dozens of guests here. Not that either of them were fond of dozens of guests but being a noble family, and a newly reestablished one at that, social parties were part of the 'job'. She sighed as she wandered into what would be the master bedroom. She and Sasuke had purchased a few of the big, most functional furniture pieces from catalogs so they wouldn't have to wait to move in but the rest would have to wait for Sasuke's return. None of what they'd ordered had arrived yet save the refrigerator but the rest was due to arrive any day.

She blushed as she remembered their discussion of the master bed. Sasuke thought an enormous bed was a waste but Hinata loved to stretch out. Sasuke had wanted the bedroom to be neutrally colored and Hinata had thought his choices too bland. They'd finally settled on a deep, eye catching scarlet red and a pure, obsidian black with bright white to off set the powerful colors. It was a bold choice but very tasteful and royal if done correctly. And he had relented, giving her the unnecessarily sized bed too.

Sighing as she exited her soon-to-be home, she headed past the academy, pausing to watch the children play in the twilight. She would have her own children soon, she realized with a slight jolt. Perhaps not as soon as some people thought soon to be (or should be) but sooner than it had ever been before in her life. Three years at most?

Did she really want children with Sasuke? Not that she really had any choice now. But would he love them? Or would he only see them as installations in his precious bloodline? As vessels for the Sharingan? Purely as propagation for the Uchiha name?

She shook her head, shooing such thoughts away and throwing her head back to gaze at the stars. It was a clear summer night and they captured her attention for several minutes.

 _No_ she thought as she finally tilted her head back down and slowly stepped one foot forward, one foot toward the Hyuuga grounds which would soon fade as her home. _No, he will love them, I think_ she concluded. It was a little shaky, this new openness she felt toward her husband. She felt as if she were stepping out as tenderly as possible into an open meadow where she was vulnerable to attack on any side. Yet, she knew inside that she was drawing closer to Sasuke, who had been figuratively standing in the shadows on the opposite side of the meadow, and slowly getting more confident in her steps toward him. Soon, in her mind, she would stand before him in that meadow and she'd be scared. She would be closer to him then than she ever had been anyone before. Closer to him than Kurenai-sensei, than Temari, than Kiba and Shino, than Naruto, than Neji and even more than Hanabi. And she would tip her head back to look up into his eyes. And she would pull him out of the shadows and into the center of the meadow with her. They'd both fall but hold each other as they fell into this newness and, she had hope, they'd land softly.

She suddenly realized how much she missed him as she came back to the empty cabin yet again. In the morning she would begin to pack up their things to move to the new Uchiha manor which, she realized belatedly, was even grander than her current estate. She smiled. That would probably jilt her father a little bit. Oh well.

It was a bittersweet thing for Hiashi, she knew. Having another old clan revitalized with an eye-focused bloodline limit at its center would provide more security to the village, more prestige, more prowess. And now that through his daughter Hiashi also had extremely strong ties within the very roots of this up and coming clan, he was probably more satiated. But he would lose the edge and his head might hang a little lower now that they weren't the only special eyes in town. But no matter.

Missing him gripped her tighter as it always did when she slid into bed alone. It'd been a little over a week now and Hinata was staving off worry as long as she could. Those three were one of the most capable teams in the known world so there wasn't much to fear. And the estimated time for the mission had been anywhere between three weeks and two months so there wasn't really any cause for concern yet.

But that didn't stop her from falling into a very fitful sleep.

* * *

"Sakura, what is _that_?" he asked, not trying to mask his disdain.

"Sasuke-kun, you don't think I would forget your birthday, do you?" she asked innocently, holding a tiny pink cupcake with a single candle with both of her palms.

"Sakura, we're on a mission. Stay focused" was all he said before turning around and bounding into the trees for his shift of guard duty. Today was indeed his 18th birthday but he would rather forget it.

The moon was his only companion from 1 to 3 in the morning, one of his favorite shifts. He tried to ignore the not-so-silent sobs coming from Sakura's sleeping bag. She wasn't crying with the fervor he knew she could, even she had more dignity and sense than that. But it was loud enough for him to detect. As he went to wake Naruto for his turn, Sasuke pondered at his friend's behavior.

He was less...less...Sasuke even hated thinking this word...but his friend was less _sunny._ No other way to describe it existed. There was less cheer in his eyes, less spring in his step. Perhaps his six months as an envoy and seeing the aftermath of the war expand across all borders had matured him beyond repair.

Sasuke wouldn't even acknowledge this beyond a subconscious level but he had always slightly envied Naruto for his silly antics, his retained and endearing child likeness, and his uncanny ability to cheer even a graveyard up. Not that Sasuke ever _wanted_ to be that way. It wasn't his style. But it did make him wistful somewhere deep down, to think he could've been a little bit more like Naruto if life hadn't hardened him so early. Perhaps he'd be a little more carefree, if he'd had more time with his family.

He'd always wondered how Naruto and he had ended up such opposites. Their tragedies were different, true, but still both tragedies with deep pain and sorrow as their soil. And maybe he'd always envied, too, how Naruto had seemingly sprung back with a tougher resilience than him. He'd been s _ane_ sure, or close enough to it. But Naruto had smiled. Naruto had grown close to others. Naruto had _loved._ And opened himself up to hurt again in that way without worry. He'd fearlessly been himself.

And that's why Naruto's non-Naruto-ness had bothered him as of late. He had also been a lot quieter than usual. True, they were on a stealth mission, but Naruto was quiet even when it was not imperative to be. In fact, he rarely spoke, even to his Sakura-chan. A somewhat of an uncomfortable tension, a walled gap had sprung up between the two and neither of his long time teammates was acting quite right in his mind. Not that he _cared_. Or was _concerned._ People acting different than normal roused his suspicions, that was all. It made him think they were hiding something. _Yes, that was it_ he rationalized as he shook the other male awake.

"I'm not asleep, Sasuke" he said quietly as he stood up to stretch and take his watch in the treetops above. A heartbeat of silence.

"Get some sleep" Naruto said, turning quietly toward the east. Sasuke stood still a little longer, a little unsettled by Naruto's demeanor. It usually took all but a blow horn and the promise of a kiss from Sakura to get the idiot up, especially at 3 in the morning.

Sasuke didn't ponder on it too much more as he was out seconds after his head hit the makeshift pillow.

* * *

Hinata was thrilled to be the first to hear of Temari's engagement.

" _Oh_ Temari-chan! I'm so ecstatic for you!" she exclaimed over the tea she was pouring. Their chatter even took her mind of Sasuke, who had been away exactly a month as of last night.

Temari couldn't believe she was marrying someone like him, _someone as lazy_ she insisted. But the sparkle in her eye told her that the normally cool-headed Sunian was over the moon. And was having a much harder time containing it than usual.

"But he's also brilliant" she added, sipping her tea with a smile gracing her lips.

"Really, I hadn't noticed...?" stated Hinata, snickering as the blonde's eyes shot up to meet hers.

"That was a little unlike you, Hinata-chan. Don't tell me you're starting to get a little of the Uchiha attitude in you already?" teased Temari.

That quieted Hinata nicely.

"How is that going, by the way?" Temari inquired, studying her friend's face carefully.

"Um...it's...it's... going" said Hinata, not sounding very confident. Temari chuckled.

"Is it going _well?"_ she restated, eyebrow slightly quirking.

"I think so. We're still getting used to one another, you know. Sasuke-kun's still readjusting to village life as well, though he hasn't had as difficult of a transition as I feared. I am glad for that" she said, trying not to be obvious about her avoidance of Temari's gaze. She was too discerning and she wasn't used to talking to someone some comfortably about her and Sasuke.

"After almost e _ight_ months you're still getting _used_ to one another? Wow, I thought for sure Uchiha's appetite would be voracious-" Temari stopped.

Something had changed in Hinata's expression. Not something major, not something noticeable. Just something Temari noted after her now experienced years on the battlefield. She couldn't tell exactly what but something about the change made her stomach jolt in surprise. Though not usually shown, Temari could be very intuitive.

"Y-You two haven't...haven't..." she seemed to either be having a hard time with the words or wrapping her head around the idea. Perhaps both.

Hinata's palm shot out, covering the blonde's mouth. "Shhhh Temari-chan. He's been adjusting as I said and...and he also agreed to wait until I was ready..." she said, speaking in as low a tone as possible. She removed her hand, settling back on the other side of the table.

Temari was contemplative for several seconds before exclaiming " _Damn_ he must really love you"

Hinata had flinched before her friend even finished the sentence. "He just wants what's best for his clan. He-"

"Hinata, _think_ about it. That guy's been hell bent on having what he wanted for years and living as an exile, murdering his own brother, learning forbidden arts, teaming up with evil men, trying to kill friends... _none_ of that stood in his way or was too much for him. If he's agreed to delaying his desires then-"

Hinata had had enough. She didn't want to think about the possibility that he loved her.

Her eyes hardened. "Temari-chan, as I said, he is only trying to give the clan a more solid future, a future more rooted in trust and love rather than deceit and selfishness..."

The blonde could see there was no point in carrying on with the present topic of conversation. She turned it back to her own engagement and they talked for quite a while.

"I'd like it if you went wedding dress shopping with me next month" she said as they got ready to depart.

"Are Ino and Sakura going as well?" she inquired.

"Nah, probably only you and Tenten. I don't really know the other two that well..." she said. Hinata nodded. She didn't fear the other two but any catty comments would ruin Temari's experience.

"I'd love to go, Temari-chan! Just let me know when!" the blonde nodded as she turned away to go back to the ambassadors' quarters.

Hinata's mind easily turned back to Sasuke as she walked back toward the cabin. _Love? Does Sasuke even know what that word means? Does he want to learn?_

* * *

It was about time.

 _Finally_ the rush of adrenaline flooded Sasuke's veins as they pursued their targets. They bounded straight through a cloud of mosquitoes. Sasuke didn't flinch, even though he was inwardly disgusted by the several that had become splotches against his face. His only comfort was seeing that Naruto had swallowed several rather than just having them splotched all over his whiskered face and was no trying not to gag.

They were hot on their targets' trail for the better part of the night and, finally, just when they thought another dead end, another failed night, Naruto signaled for them to break into separate trees. _We must've found them._ Sasuke felt the wind rush over his face as he looked toward the east. To his eyes, a very very faint lightening was already beginning. _It's imperative we finish this fast._ They had been told to not allow the battle to draw on more than ten minutes nor to engage them in daylight.

Eight minutes later, Sasuke was re-sheathing his sword and turning toward the other two. If they hadn't known their enemies' exact capabilities, if Sakura hadn't been preemptively warned and prepared a powerful antidote beforehand, if Naruto had been another half-a-second late...it would have been a much more dangerous fight, one that they might not have won. No one but this team could've handled such a job. Sasuke felt a strange sensation settling in the lower part of his stomach. Was this the feeling of companionship? _No, he'd just been in this damn swamp too long._

But he found that he wasn't quite as annoyed at the thought of the return journey as the thought he would be. _Especially because **she's** at the end of it._

That alone would make this next week even more bearable.

* * *

Hinata expected his return any day. She'd just returned from her own week-long scouting mission along the border of the Fire and Water countries with Tenten and Kiba. Her heart had given a leap as she neared the cabin, hoping to find signs of life. But she knew within several feet that his chakra was nowhere near.

That was yesterday. Their eight-month anniversary was in a couple days. She really wanted Sasuke to come back so that they could move into the new mansion together. She'd moved most of their belongings there over the last month before her mission, keeping the minimal things they could carry with them on their last trip over. One she wanted to take _with_ him. _Oh Sasuke, please hurry back. There's so much I want to experience with you..._

* * *

But her wish was not granted the next day. She paced nearly all day, worried. It could very well last another month so she shouldn't expect him back.

But she waited up anyway, hoping to hear the door open. The warm summer night air had drifted through the window to comfort her but the silence had suffocated her. Normally, she liked quiet. She realized, though, that recently she liked the _shared_ quiet she and Sasuke enjoyed together.

 _Where was this all coming from? I didn't think like this at all before this last mission._ She tried to shrug off the thoughts as she leaned out the window, breathing the early morning air deeply. A light gray already alighted the sky in the east. It was probably 5a.m. or close to it. A glance at the clock confirmed her suspicions, the glowing number reading 4:33.

She tried to redirect her thoughts as she lay down but to no avail. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she nearly bolted out of bed.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" she said, her tone of voice raising.

"Papaya"

And there was that silence she'd been looking for. She noted from his change in breathing pattern that he had fallen fast asleep. He must be exhausted!

She didn't mind. Hinata didn't need words. She just cuddled back into his embrace, feeling her entire being relax at the recognition of his return.

* * *

Sasuke woke a little disoriented and it took him several seconds to realize he was back in Konoha, back in his own bed. _But where was the wife who shared his bed?_

He vaguely recalled coming back and burying his face into her hair, getting lost in her scent before falling asleep. Beyond that he didn't recall. He stretched and then walked to the kitchen, a folded piece of white paper catching his eye. _Please don't let her have been assigned a mission._ He caught himself wishing without really knowing why.

 _Sasuke, I am meeting Temari for tea at 4. I should be back by 5, see you soon!-Hinata_

He grinned, silently stifling the urge to shout with relief. He was also pleased to notice it was 4:42, meaning she'd be back soon. Still a bit disoriented after twelve hours of sleep, he decided to shower. He was still filthy from the mission. As he let the hot water pour over his muscles, he contemplated his life. _Where do we go from here?_ In the midst of his ponderings, a familiar chakra burst through his awareness. With a small grin plastered over his face, he hurriedly finished rinsing his hair and stepped out, expertly towel drying with incredible speed and reminding himself to coolly walk back into the bedroom after he dressed. He was no blonde idiot.

Yet, his steps might've been a little bit quicker than usual. And there she was.

His steps slowed as he took the time to admire her. She was dressed in a lovely, soft-looking silver kimono interspersed with glittering patterns. For the first time in his life, he seemed tongue tied. She was wearing light makeup, just enough to highlight her face. Suddenly, and he didn't quite remember how, he was standing in front of her.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun, welcome back" she said, meeting his eyes with a brilliant smile. He bent to kiss her cheek.

"It's good to be back"

"I'll wait for you to get dressed" she said. His mind finally caught up. Why exactly was she dressed up?

She giggled. "It's our anniversary. I've left your deep navy kimono in the closet" she said. Oh, so they were going out? _Duh genius_

To cover his slow uptake, he quickly strode to the closet and opened it. Its emptiness didn't even register until he was changing in the bathroom a few moments later.

"So where exactly are all my things?" he shouted as he slipped the kimono on.

Another giggle. "Sasuke-kun, our mansion is complete. I've moved nearly everything over there over the past few weeks. All that's left is a few small items of clothing and our bathroom things, unless you just want to buy new" she replied.

 _Our. Mansion. The mansion that was theirs. The Uchiha mansion. Uchiha mansion..._ the words produced a rather pleasant sound as they bounced around in his head. Their eyes met when he reopened the door and small smiles graced both of their lips.

"I was thinking that we c-could take the last few things over now and then go to dinner" she said, smiling.

 _Woah. So this was their last time in this cabin together._

Sasuke nodded, turning around to round up the last few things in the bathroom. He couldn't believe she'd gotten everything moved over already. She could handle a household very well,he realized. As expected as it should have been, his pride of having such a wife still rose enormously. _Only the best for the Uchiha clan_

As Hinata locked the door, their eyes met briefly and Hinata smiled at him again. _The first of many new adventures in this marriage._

Hinata walked in front of him a couple paces as they neared the house; she really wanted to see his expression when he glimpsed the estate for the first time. Sasuke wasn't paying all that much attention until there it stood.

His new _home._ Where the Uchiha clan would see its rebirth. It was exactly as he had envisioned it...well he _and_ Hinata had envisioned it. For the first time in a long, long time...since he'd seen Itachi walk through the front door probably...his heart burst with happiness inside his chest. His face gave almost nothing away. However, Hinata did detect the slight relaxing of his features and the smile he suppressed. _Good, he is happy!_

They set the things just inside the front door. Sasuke wanted to explore but he was also very hungry, having slept through breakfast and lunch as well as having had mission food for more than a month. He felt like going somewhere fancy, showing Hinata off, and spending a little of the combined Uchiha-Hyuuga coffers all at the same time.

"Do we have reservations?" he asked, wondering where they were going.

"Yes" was all she replied. They weren't headed toward the BBQ place nor anywhere else he frequented. He didn't want to seem too curious but...

They turned sharply to the left suddenly and they were in front of a previously-unknown place to him. _りゅうか (ryuuka)... hmmm..._

Hinata allowed him to lead them inside; he opened the door for her and slid his hand on the small of her back as they approached the host.

"Uchiha" he said with a little cattiness, as if he shouldn't even have to say it, watching the older man's eyes light up in recognition of the name before even checking the list. He found the Uchiha name, of course, and felt his pulse skyrocket. His eyes slid over to the woman with the last Uchiha. She seemed much more warm and personable. _How was she married to this man?_

He realized that the man in front of him might not appreciate eyes lingering on his wife and his eyes snapped back to the list.

"Of course, Uchiha-san, right this way" he said, leading them to the private table requested on the reservation. As they settled, a mix of panic, intrigue and excitement had spread throughout the restaurant staff that was on hand. None of them could decide whether they wanted to serve them or not. On one hand, it was a chance to see and serve one of the most high-class couples in town and one that was rarely out in public at all, especially together.

And on the other hand, it was a one-way ticket to having a nervous breakdown for the duration the couple was here, especially with Uchiha Sasuke's volatile reputation.

Finally, the lead server went to greet them and take their drink orders, putting on his best smile. He was relieved when they simply ordered water. Some of the higher-end couples that came in, he swore, tried to force the staff to mess up with complicated drink requests.

"This place just opened two weeks ago. So I thought we'd try it out" Hinata finally informed him. He flipped through the menu. _No prices, only the truly rich would come in here_...

He smiled at Hinata and leaned into his customary position, hands clasped in front of his face. He was in a mood to humor her, to hear all about her life in the time since he'd left. She obliged him; he felt drunk off of her before their waters even came.

Unconsciously, she had leaned in closer too. So much so, in fact, that the waiter was afraid for his life to announce the arrival of their drinks. He was quite surprised that neither of them had noticed. _For a political match this seems to be working out pretty well..._

He coughed and the two back up a little, allowing him room to set the water glasses on the table.

"Are you prepared to order, sir?" he asked, inclining his gaze toward the Uchiha male. He had carefully kept his eyes from lingering on the former-Hyuuga beauty. The rumors around town did not lie, she was certainly something to behold. But behold for the briefest time possible because the Uchiha man is possessive and protective, the rumors had warned.

He nodded, quietly ordering for both himself and his wife. The waiter nodded, pleased with their orders and accepting the menus. _I hope they don't end up making out on the table...that'd be too dangerous to stop..._

A few other couples and customers filtered in throughout the evening but the Uchihas were none the wiser. Sasuke hadn't looked away from her once, not even while he ordered for them. Hinata was feeling very flushed and she knew it showed. Sasuke's effect on her was always magnified by his absence and, though she did not know it, so was her effect on him. The lighting was accenting her skin in the most alluring way and she looked so _soft._

Sasuke had never thought himself to be attracted to softness. He'd associated it with weakness, he realized. But looking at her now, it drew him in. Because he knew she was strong. He knew she could be okay alone. She didn't need him, hadn't even _wanted_ him at first. But she did now... _right?_ He had never before had to question whether or not a woman wanted him. They always made it more than known through obvious hints and flashes of skin. But she didn't. And it was so _damn enticing._

She giggled again as he teased her lightly. _She sure is giggly tonight..._

Sasuke wondered at it but decided that it was probably a good thing. _Right?_

"I really did miss you, Sasuke-kun" she admitted suddenly and so genuinely that he almost reached across the table to embrace her, to reassure her that he was here for real.

The food came quickly, though in coming days neither Sasuke nor Hinata would recall exactly what they ate. It was good, though, very good and worth every dime they spent on it (and they spent a lot). Sasuke started ordering dessert, as he knew Hinata was very fond of sweets, but she interrupted.

"A-Actually Sasuke-kun, I don't want dessert tonight" she said. His gaze shifted to her. She _didn't_ want dessert? Was this the real Hinata?

"Very well. Bring us the check, then" he said, changing his original sentence. The waiter nodded, insides relaxing immensely. It was finally over and it was only 7:30 at that. Sasuke turned back to Hinata, only to see her blushing.

"I-I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back" she said, hurrying off to the ladies' room. Sasuke wondered at her actions. Perhaps he should ask her for her code word of the month? _No, she's been pretty much herself._

* * *

They exited the restaurant arm-in-arm into the night, strolling at a leisurely pace. Hinata was quiet and snuggled against his arm. She seemed to be lost in thought. He enjoyed the silence with her, briefly glancing at the stars as they turned on the road back to the Uchiha mansion- _their_ home. The moon was fairly bright tonight, though many of the stars were obscured.

He heard her sigh softly and clutch his arm tighter. He flexed as if to comfort her; they were almost home.

As they entered the new house, Hinata let him go before her so that he could explore as she already had. She watched the unconcealed delight and approval that shone in his eyes as he took in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Some more of the appliances had come, though they still had to order a couch and most of the living room set as well as agree on a dining room set.

"You were right about the dining room" he admitted, almost sheepishly as he inspected the space. His wife smiled in thanks. He took several more laps around the downstairs, inspecting every nook and cranny of the entryway, living room, dining room, and kitchen. He was ready to venture upstairs and suddenly noticed that Hinata wasn't with him anymore.

He inspected the handrail as he went up the stairs, admiring its craftsmanship. It was interwoven with important Uchiha clan symbols and he admired it for several minutes before making his way to the upper level. The hallways was empty and he noticed the bright white curtains fluttering softly in the night breeze. _Strange, if Hinata came upstairs she didn't turn any lights on..._

He shrugged it off, heading toward the master bedroom. Hinata had mentioned the bed had arrived and been set up just hours ago. His mind wandered over the grandeur of the upper hallway, admiring the columns and artwork he had handpicked himself. _This is magnificence befitting the Uchiha indeed..._

He was so preoccupied with the hallway that he it didn't quite register with him that Hinata was in the room. But she was, leaning against the bedpost nearest the door. He eyed her for several seconds.

Hinata broke the silence suddenly. And she spoke so quietly that he had to ask her to repeat herself. Under the moonlight that flowed over her from the large window, he noticed her face was burning scarlet and she wasn't quite looking him in the eye.

"I-I said that we can break in this bed in the proper fashion tonight, Sasuke-kun, as m-man and wife" she said, a little too hurriedly. _Did she mean-_

"I-I-I-I mean only if you want to-" she said, timidly tugging at the obi around her waist and allowing the garment to form a revealing line right down the center of her body.

Sasuke took a step forward.

She was quicker. Another movement. A rush of fabric against skin. The kimono glittered in the moonlight as it glided to the floor. A beacon for his undoing.

And there she was, presented to him in a most innocent fashion, a most trusting fashion. _A most appealing fashion._ He halted again, unsure of how to respond. Months, he'd waited _months._ All his past knowledge of the womanly bodies seemed to have temporarily evacuated residence in his mental faculties. He watched her attempting her best to not tremble as she was bared before him. _He'd never even seen her breasts. But now..._

She was about to turn the other way, embarrassed by her attempted offer, when his hand roughly grabbed her wrist and fingers snaked up to interlace with her own. Before she knew it, she was trapped between his passionate kiss and the bedpost. All Sasuke saw was red. But this was a different red than what he was used to. His angry red was sharp, quick and rough. _Her curves. ._

But this red, this red _burned._ He pressed his body fully against her naked one; listening to her shutter from the unfamiliar contact sent shivers through his every nerve. _nipples. responding. to. ME._

He withdrew from her suddenly, to breathe and to regain at least some semblance of control. If this was her first time, it was going to hurt. _Slow Sasuke, slow. Show that you aren't completely at her mercy._

"How many scars do you have, Hinata-chan?"

The look in her eyes told him the question was unexpected. "I-I don't know" _did all husbands ask such things after seeing you naked the first time?_

"Every ninja knows the number of their scars" he stated, locking his eyes with hers. If they traveled downwards, his control would plummet further than it already had.

"I am not defined by my scars, Sasuke-kun" she replied. He could hear her confusion. "Very well" he said. That answer has invigorating him all the more because he felt so defined by scars, even more so the ones unseen. Eyeing a small nick by her collarbone, he started there.

By the third scar, she understood his intentions. _He wants to know each scar before we make love._ She was moved by the gesture, trembling as he scanned the length of her body, not allowing his arousal to show just yet. His eyes searched her body thoroughly and each time they alighted upon a new marking, his tongue would glide over it as if to say _I see your scars but love you anyway._

 _NO_ she screamed in her mind, shoving the "l-word" away again. He did not love her; he was merely identifying with her scars. Her trembling worsened as he knelt to caress the three-inch scar on the back of her knee with his tongue and then moved to the one that curved around her hip. She turned obediently so that he could finish his work, as it wrapped around to just above her right cheek. She went more scarlet than ever as he felt his eyes roving down the entire length of her backside.

 _Oh damn...the blush does go all the way down to-_

"Ten" he said finally, distracting himself from the arousing answer he'd finally received for his curiosity. She shook her head, turning the right side of her head to him. She lifted her hair and he saw it. There, on the juncture of her earlobe and head, was a tiny puncture, probably made by a senbon. He memorized it immediately, laving his tongue over the area.

"You're sure?" he asked as he hovered by her ear. Then he began nibbling on it and tugging on it.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm n-naked" she replied, half-teasing half-afraid. Was she not attractive to him? Was it not obvious? What if-

She heard a knot coming loose and he was naked too. He backed up a few inches, allowing her to observe him as he had observed her. He noticed her quickly-adverting eyes as they took in the very prominent evidence of her effect on him.

"Yes, I can see that Hinata-chan" he replied, answering her earlier statement and trying to sound calm. But he was growing further and further from "calm" every second.

He moved against her again, bringing her arms above her head and kissing her as he had that day so long ago with gently, peppering kisses that helped relax her and remember that she could be with this man. These did not last long, though, and his tongue found its way into her mouth soon enough.

 _Slow Sasuke, as slow as possible_ he reminded himself again. Instinctively, she pushed herself against him more as their tongues danced.

The ragged groan that this movement elicited from the Uchiha startled her and her eyes sprung open, meeting the ones of her husband. Yet, she'd never seen these eyes on him before. Arousal mixed with a slight hint of nervousness flooded her system again and she felt herself start to shake again. He was so fierce and-

He seemed to understand her returning nervousness; his hands slid down to hold her bare waist. He held her away from him for a few seconds, still gripping her waist tightly against his. And they started to sway. Mere seconds passed before Hinata recognized the rhythm, the one they had danced together at the kitchen sink all those weeks ago.

"Easy, Hinata-chan" he cooed in a tone she had never heard from him before. It was a tone, she suspected, he only used when making love for she never heard it in any other context for the rest of their lives.

His comforting surprised her immensely. She expected it to have been over by now but she now realized that Sasuke's unhurried manner was his way of caring for her. Meanwhile, his eyes raked over her upper half again and again and again as they moved in sync. _Is this why she's been so silly all evening? Nerves? How long as she wanted-_ his eyes locked on her breasts as they swayed with the pace he'd set.

He felt welcoming arms snake around to hold onto his shoulders. "Sasuke-kun..." she sighed into his ear. The breath from the lingering words dusted over his ears in a light whisper. That was all he needed. Suddenly, she was off her feet and in his arms again, just like their wedding night. Even his walk toward the bed was meticulous.

* * *

Once she was laid out on the bed, though, his control became more visibly lessened. He'd never experienced the anticipation of actual lovemaking, just foreplay and murder.

He'd wanted to see her naked many times but the realization that she had _willingly stripped in front of him and for him_ was washing over him with renewed vigor almost every second. His head was spinning. He realized she must have removed her undergarments when she excused herself to the bathroom in the restaurant. _She planned this_ he calculated and the need to be with her gnawed at him anew.

He'd always envisioned himself being on top of his bride, controlling the lovemaking. He straddled her with ease, eyes all but boring through hers. Hinata felt strange and tight and spastic all at once. His eyes suddenly dropped to her chest and she felt the ridiculous need to cover them. Her right arm was almost there when her husband snagged it, massaging the wrist with his thumb as was his habit.

But the lips closing around her left nipple were entirely unexpected and yielded a frighteningly new pleasure. Her arching up to him combined with her embarrassed gasp surprised them both; it was such a virginal move that a new sense of possessiveness surged through his system and urged his loins to claim her.

As he began to suckle, he realized her wrist was gone from beneath his. He glanced up to see her biting into the back of her wrist, smothering the sounds brought forth by the new sensations. He growled, tearing the arm away from her mouth and pinning it again.

He was over her face again, glowering at her. " Do not hide your pleasure from me; do not hide your pain from me" he state, almost a growling command, before licking her lips once then trailing back down her neck to the other nipple that had yet to feel his lips.

Her lust-filled noises surprised them both and he was pleased to watch her grow redder than he'd ever seen her, pleasure now mixed with her embarrassment. She tried to pull away when he gently closed his index finger and thumb around the other nipple. On the second pulsation, he heard his name.

"nnnnn Sasuke-kun!" she simpered, not knowing what else to say. She felt heavy. "Closer" she gasped at him, trying to pull him down to her. He obliged, stretching out along the full length of her as he started licking her right nipple at unspecified intervals. His wife moaned for him, teetering on the edge of control herself.

Suddenly, he rolled them to their side. She was confused but was quickly distracted by a hand brushing between her legs.

Now that she was on her side, her legs lay closed. She met Sasuke's eyes again; they were murky with lust; she felt so desired that she kissed him again. He brushed his left hand against the top of the mound between her legs once more, making her tingle as the coarse patch of her hair bristled.

He raised his eye brows at her and gently lifted himself up to tug on her ankle, pulling the bottom of her foot to rest on her knee. Now she understood.

Nervousness rushed into her gaze again but her husband chased it away with heated kisses. Then she felt it, his fingertips gliding over her nether lips. She desperately tried to stay still as he stroked her. She whined the first time he tried to spread them with his fingers, her leg nearly closing over his hand.

He stopped kissing her then and leaned into her ear, whispering her name and all sorts of other comforts. She listened and slowly relaxed. Sasuke smiled at the fluid he felt meet his fingers. He gripped her shoulder suddenly, gritting his teeth. _Just a little bit longer._

"Hinata-chan" he warned. He watched her struggle not to tense as he slid his index finger in, helping her excitement grow.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun!" she keened again, unsure how to feel. It was a little uncomfortable.

"It's okay. I'm helping you stretch" he reassured, bumping his nose against hers as he moved his finger in a circular motion inside her. She whined and whimpered as she adjusted. Eventually, she knew she needed to be opened wider and pulled her leg back more.

That was the signal he'd been waiting for. He kissed her again, encouraging her to stay relaxed as he hovered over her again, pulling her legs around one of his own. He caressed the side of her breast gently before sliding his own hips further between her parted legs. His hardened member brushed her entrance and her eyes sprung open. He gripped her, unable to wait much longer. As gently as he could, he pushed himself against her again so as to familiarize her and make his intentions known. _The way she bites her lip is so..._

The heightened arousal broke his restraint, urging his lower half forward and causing his throat to release a low moan.

"H-Hinata-chan..." he managed to gasp before interlacing the fingers on her right hand with the ones on his left, giving him the leverage he needed to complete the union.

* * *

He was rewarded for the extra time he'd taken to prepare her, sliding in easily. He let out his own gasp, too, when he felt the telltale hymen stretch and tear from his ministrations. But he didn't take the time to dwell on it in that moment.

Driven by the knowledge that he and he alone had possessed her and ever would possess her in this manner, he experimented with thrusting for the first time. Shock waves of pleasure followed and sensations he'd never experienced raced through his skin. His mind all but blanked as he settled into a series of inexperienced thrusts, trying to hold back the force as much as he could. He was vaguely aware of the beauty beneath him wriggling and whining. Panting, gripping, squeezing. Her walls seemed determine to not let him go.

Hinata squeezed his hands as a big heat scorched between her legs. The original burn was from her virginal evidence being taken, she knew, but the rest of the pain she had not expected. _Is this normal?_

She did not have time to think, for his rhythm sped up and she felt the strangest thing. Tightening. Panting. Spasms. Pain receding. Pleasure increasing.

He shuddered suddenly and slid down, collapsing against her. She felt gooey on the inside, there was no better way to describe it.

 _It's over_ she realized suddenly, eyes spring open. Her husband still lay where he fell, heart rate still obviously elevated by his ragged breathing. Quiet reigned with them again and, as always, they found solace together in the quiet.

An undetermined amount of time later, Sasuke lifted himself up and lazily locked eyes with her again. He looked extremely satiated.

"You were a virgin" he stated, not stopping the big grin that spread across his face. It was still in place as his lips slid over hers again, more for bonding than arousing. " _Were"_ he repeated devilishly, pecking her lips again and again.

He felt an angry nip at his bottom lip. "Of course" she said, glaring at him a little.

"If you kill me now, I'll die happily" he said, catching her off guard with his lightheartedness. He chuckled at her bewildered look and took the opportunity to scan her body again, amused at how she tried to pull the sheets between them. He let her, supposing she'd already been vulnerable enough with him tonight.

Finally, he rolled off of her, gathering her back against his chest. She didn't protest and he sighed against her, still reeling from her unexpected gift to him.

"Happy anniversary" he heard her whisper softly before he drifted off to sleep.

 _Second big adventure together: Check_

* * *

Woohoo! Almost 9,000 wordies! Yay! And I know, I know *finally* (although I thought about making it at the beginning of next chapter so be glad I was feeling generous). I tried to make it not the normal wedding night/virgin scene. If you're having trouble picturing the position, it's "the Spider Web" position that Sasuke chose for their first time. It's very intimate.

Also: yes, I'm quite aware that a waiter might not address him with "-san" but keigo is freakin' complicated and I couldn't find a direct source.

Anyway, R & R as always!

-Pi-chan! :)


	10. Chapter 10

Clearing up some confusion

They consummated their marriage on their 8-month anniversary (noted by the fact that it's mid-August, not December)

Sasuke said "Papaya" because that was his conformation word so that Hinata could be sure that it was him.

Thirdly, in the interest of making things as realistic as possible, NO their intimate encounters won't be perfect for quite some time. Because they're both still learning and learning such things together is a beautiful thing...but awkward and not perfect in a lot of respects.

Let me know if you have anymore questions!

* * *

Fuzziness.

Drifting.

What was happening exactly? Morning sunlight on her skin.

A section of her upper half was heavier than usual? Eh?

This sensation...w-what was...going on?

Hinata's eyes shot open and she bolted upright, causing the man to chortle against the nipple he was currently suckling.

This rumbling of his mouth sent another unfamiliar, albeit pleasurable, ripple throughout Hinata's body. "Nnn...Sasuke-kun..what're you-?"

The realization that she was nearly uncovered in broad daylight seemed to crash over her like a tidal wave. Still a little groggy, she nudged her husband away from her, much to his displeasure.

"It's not my fault. It was teasing me" he growled, gripping her tightly from the side and nuzzling his face into her neck. He was telling the truth. The nipple nearest him had been just peeking out from under the sheet when he woke next to her, recalling last night with tremendous satisfaction. Her blush against the white sheets in the summer sunlight was all the more becoming.

"Why'd you pull the damn sheet up again?" he said, irritated at the way she clutched the white material to her chest. He started tugging at it.

"S-Sasuke-kun! It's broad daylight!" she exclaimed, thoroughly embarrassed and clutching the sheet tighter as he pulled.

He stared into her eyes, a little dumbstruck. His tugging ceased.

"Why the hell does the time of day matter? You're naked and I _want_ you" he said, dipping his head to tease the nipple through the sheet. Now that he'd had her once, he'd have to have her again. and again. _The floodgates are surely shattered._

Hinata was stumped. She wasn't naive exactly but...she'd only ever heard of intimate encounters happening at night. Was that stupid?

"You want me even though it's not night time?" she asked, sounding so innocent that he let out a chuckle. _She isn't serious, right?_

She crossed her arms suddenly, preventing any further ministrations.

"Don't laugh. I don't know all that much about this..." she said shyly, wanting the sweet Sasuke of last night to return. He might have felt a twinge of guilt. _Maybe._

"Well then no. It being day time does not change the fact that you are a naked woman in bed with me" he stated with a straight face. _He's teasing me._

She huffed playfully and then stood from the bed, dragging the sheet with her to the bathroom. Hinata was a little nervous. The moment she had stood, she had felt a sore in a place she never had before. _Ow. Am I supposed to be sore there? Well, I guess I did stretch in a new way..._ a new blush bloomed on her face.

Sasuke was suddenly walking behind her, rubbing and cupping her rump as she walked to the bathroom. When she reached the door, she turned sharply to face him.

"Sasuke! I'm still _sore_! Please stop!" she said in her firmest tone before slamming the door in his face. He stared at the blockade between Hinata and himself, blinking twice before growling in frustration. _At himself._

 _I was acting like a love sick puppy, trailing after her like that!_ It put an awful taste in his mouth. He should've realized that she'd be sore. As he sat back on the bed, the sheet she'd dropped just in front of the bathroom door caught his eye. A very visible red stain contrasted sharply with the pure white cotton. _Mrs. Uchiha indeed._

Still, he really should've helped her clean up last night at least. But he'd fallen asleep much faster than he intended. And he'd admired the sight beside him in bed for several minutes before even noticing the exposed nipple. _She's scarred but so beautiful._ Her words from the previous night flew back to him. _My scars do not define me_ she said. How did they not, when they were permanent?

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke did not normally do laundry. But after her trust in him last night and his 'horn dog' routine this morning, he figured it was the least he could do. _Not that he owed her anything. She was his wife after all._

Running through last night in his mind, only he was there to witness the ridiculously happy grin that spread over his face as he stuffed the sheet into the machine.

Upstairs, Hinata was enjoying her first shower in the master bath. With the water near scalding she was insanely relaxed, one arm stretched out against the shower's wall. Tenderly, she reached a hand between her legs. Unbidden, a flash of last night returned to her. _His hands...and..._

She'd only been intending to check and see if anything was wrong but now she felt that strange heaviness return to her lower stomach. As the previous night played over in her head, this heaviness grew into an ache. She battled for several minutes. She still felt a little tender between her legs. _But then again, stretching a muscle usually helps soreness..._

* * *

All the effort Sasuke had put into calming down went to hell the moment he walked back in the bedroom. The sheet was in the wash and he'd come back upstairs to find something suitable to wear. And damned if she wasn't standing in front of the bathroom door, hands clasped in front of the dark patch between her legs and right foot shyly drawing circles in the carpet.

He noticed the curtains had been drawn closer together, though, and only a small line down the center allowed the mid-August sunlight inside.

"I...I am sorry about being so short earlier. This is all so new..." her voice trailed off and she shyly lifted her gaze to meet his.

He was silent. "And I'm not used to...being desired in such a manner..." she continued, a little put off by his silence. He nodded to show he was listening, though he was being quite distracted by her form. _Does she really not realize?_

She inhaled sharply. "B-But we can...we can...make love...again now if you want to?" she offered, almost saying it like a unsure inquiry. He did not move.

"What made you change your mind?" he asked. _I'm not having you feeling like I'm manipulating you into sex. That's underhanded and even I'm not **that** low. _ Though he did realize he'd never really had cause to try and manipulate any girl into having sex with him before...

She broke his gaze. "I-I was trying to check on myself after what happened last night. And...and I remembered you touching me...and I just feel funny _here"_ she whispered shyly, unclasping her hands to indicate her lower stomach.

After what seemed like an hour, he finally strode over to her and held out his hand to her palm down as if asking for a dance. This gesture earned him a giggle and he grinned in return. She held his offered hand delicately as he led her back to the sheet-less bed. _A true lady and gentleman_

Despite his ache, he took his time with her. They were still holding hands as she willingly lay before him on the bed, parallel to the headboard. His heart raced incredibly fast.

He began with familiar things, keeping their hands clasped and his feet still on the floor.

Pecks on her lips.

A soft lick on her neck.

His mouth ghosting over her nipples.

Kisses on her hips. His hand left hers. Both of his palms gripped her ankles. _As wide as you please._

Then, the familiarity dissipated. Hinata's eyes wretched open and her gaze shot down to the spot where she'd just been nuzzled. _But his hands are still on my ankles..._

His eyes were waiting to meet hers, observing her from their place just above the small, dark forest of hair between her legs.

He saw what he'd been wanting to see. Her blush crept further down, nearly reaching him at his place between her thighs. Her eyes shone in embarrassment and confusion as they met his over her breasts. She jerked unexpectedly.

"S-Sasuke-kun don't...look..." was all she managed to say. He raised an eyebrow. Rebelliously, he allowed his eyes to leisurely drift over the full length of her body and settled on the spot spread open before him. Her legs struggle harder, trying to snap shut. He chuckled.

"I'm _helping_ you" he insisted. And, just like that, he tugged her legs a little wider. She caught a flash of his smirk.

And his tongue was inside her. _This is too intimate._

She'd never heard talk about _this_ before. She struggled at first but Sasuke wasn't letting her get away. She bit her lip as she watched his raven-black hair brush against her white thighs.

It tickled.

She giggled. And then she giggled again. _She's supposed to be moaning, not giggling._ Her husband withdrew his tongue.

"What's so funny?"

Another small giggle. "Y-Your hair. It...it tickles..." she responded, another giggle spilling out at his incredulous look. _Do you know how many women have begged me to do for them what I'm doing for you freely? How many men do you think have thought about being where you are right now?_

The thought elicited a possessive growl from his throat and his mouth dipped between her nethers again. He heard the heightened gasp and felt her feet contract, toes curling.

 _So **hot**_

* * *

By the time he stood from kneeling between her legs, her wetness easily met his fingers.

Sasuke was not quite prepared for the sight that met him as he stood.

Her large chest was heaving, nipples pert.

Rosy flush. Innocent trembling. Tiny rivulets of water still on her hair from the shower. A surge of primal urge flooded his system and he wasn't able to hold it back. _To hell with control._ He thought for one of the only times in his life. _He had to have her. Now._

This time his thrusts were more evenly spaced. He cringed as she whined underneath him, torn between shying away from the painful stretch and pursuing the new sensations. _I want to give her pleasure, not scare her away._ His ability to think was torn away as his climax neared; he felt drawn to her as she gripped his shoulders, sharing as much of the dichotomous experience with him as she could. _She's still so tight..._

His breath was ragged in her ear again as he stayed atop her, enjoying the feel of allowing himself to lay fully against her. She was stroking his back with feather-soft touches. The Uchiha did not recognize the feeling building up in him but _bliss_ was the closest word to it; he no longer acknowledged it as possible for him to feel but in this moment, it was close.

"Get used to being desired this way, _Mrs. Uchiha"_ he whispered in her ear, hovering over it to nibble the lobe before lifting off of her and striding to the shower. _Because you're mine. More than ever._

* * *

Hinata barely met Temari's eyes. After the third time deflecting her gaze, Temari grinned wide.

"Has anything changed since the last time we talked, Hinata?" she asked. The girl slowly met her gaze but the color of her face answered before she could.

A subtle nod. Temari's grin grew wider. " _Finally"_ she said. She wouldn't push her friend for details but was glad to see Hinata's trust in him growing. Temari didn't show it but she had also been worrying about the Uchiha's treatment of Hinata. At least until an unlikely person had put an end to her doubts.

 _You don't know him. I've never seen that old jerk be so attentive to anything...except maybe his revenge_ Naruto had told her playfully.

"I-I...w-we..." Hinata did't seem to know what to say. "I wanted to for our anniversary s-so...I initiated it"

Temari's eyebrows raised. Their 8 month anniversary had only been a few days ago.

"And he's let you escape the house already?" Temari asked, genuinely surprised.

"I had to insist but yes" she responded, pink dusting her cheeks again as she sipped her tea. Hinata caught the upturning of her friend's lips behind her teacup. The blonde had been right; Sasuke's appetite was almost insatiable but what surprised Hinata the most was that she had been able to match it thus far. Barely.

"Are you pregnant?" the question seemed to splinter the train of her thoughts into a million pieces.

"No. I...I started my monthly time just yesterday. That's partially the reason it was so easy for me to...get away..." she trailed off, their giggles sounding off in unison.

"I figured he would want kids ASAP" said Temari, unsure about how her friend felt about this subject.

"After the first of the year at the earliest. He's still a bit restless as he's so used to moving around so much. And there's just enjoying one another too..."

More giggles.

"I'm glad to see you're happy, Hinata!" Temari said, beaming. _I just hope he doesn't use you as a brood mare._

"B-But what about you, Temari-chan? Do you need any help with wedding preparations?"

"Actually, I was just about to mention that. Unless you or Tenten are out on a mission, I'd like to go wedding dress shopping in about two weeks at the beginning of September. We set a date: March 4th so I'd like to get the bigger things out of the way as quickly as possible"

"I think that should be fine! I've scouted nearly all of the border of Water and Fire country so I doubt Hokage-sama will have much more for me to do in the way of that..."

A figure appeared before them, face obscured by a reptilian painted mask.

"Uchiha Hinata and Temari of the Sand, the Hokage requires both of you immediately" the deep voice said before disappearing.

Tea forgotten, the room was empty not a moment later.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't believe Hinata was leaving so soon. He felt ridiculous. Why should he _care?_ They're both ninja. Missions, no matter how inconvenient, were a part of the title. He was intimately acquainted with the fact. _Then why do I want to lock her away, keep her here with me despite orders?_

 _"Sasuke-kun. I have to go now..."_ her voice pulled him out of the detachment he'd been trying to achieve, floating into his head as if in a dream. He jarringly realized his hand had an iron grip on one of her wrists.

She had only been allowed to tell him the duration and her teammates. No other details could be disclosed. _Naruto, Temari, and Sakura._ Sasuke didn't show it but that team formation bothered him. _That's such a powerful combination. What the hell could they need such force for?_ Hinata was obviously to scope out and spy first, which meant she might be the most in danger. He struggled to shove his uneasiness back down.

A soft kiss on the lips. She turned away from him.

He pulled her back, all but throwing her against their front door. His tongue forced her lips apart.

Sasuke didn't keep her long, though, ten seconds at most. Then he let her go with a squeeze on her wrist, opening the door for her. _Please come back safe_ the gesture seemed to chant to her.

She gave a subtle nod, her lips upturning slightly. She was glad he hadn't let her go with such a chaste kiss. _I'll think of you at night too_ she thought as she disappeared, shoving him away from her mind to focus on the mission at hand.

 _What was he going to do for two weeks?_

* * *

I know, I know short chapter but I thought I'd post this as a sweet little Thanksgiving tease! The next one will probably be another 9,000 word-er though so be patient ;)

Happy Thanksgiving all!

-Pi-chan! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry this took a bit but over 11,000 word-ses! Happy December! (Also, the line breaks are doing something funky so I'm sorry if they don't show :/)

* * *

Sasuke got along okay, at least for the first couple of days. He found himself surprisingly relaxed at the thought of Hinata sharing a mission with Naruto. He had no reason to be suspicious. Old whispers telling him otherwise tried to gnaw at the edges of his mind but he pushed them away for the first time in a long time.

The Uchiha found himself wandering aimlessly throughout the village after the third day, enjoying the late summer weather. He spotted a familiar figure in a field and, in accordance with trying to re-acquaint himself with friendship, he approached the Nara heir.

Shikamaru didn't show it as the last Uchiha drew near but this guy still made him a little uneasy. Temari and the now- Uchiha Hinata were good friends and his fiancee had assured him that Sasuke was not a threat.

 _At least to Hinata_ he thought as the raven-haired man approached, sword still slung on his side and ready for action as it had been during the war.

"Yo!" Shikamaru called, attempting to look the least unperturbed possible and also to let the Uchiha know that he would not be taken unawares. The approaching man nodded in return, coming to a halt just in front of Shikamaru and almost leering over him.

"Did you need something?" the Nara asked. _Of all the troublesome people to find me here._ He and Temari and this couple had had a few good conversations in restaurants before Hinata and Sasuke had married but he hadn't ever let his guard down completely or considered Sasuke a completely reconciled ally.

Silence.

"A distraction from my boredom" he finally replied, settling a polite but not all unfriendly distance from the cloud-watcher. Shikamaru couldn't help but smirk.

"Ah yes, Hinata is on the same mission as Temari-chan. How troublesome for the both of us" he commented, allowing his guard to drop further and leaning his head back to observe the sky. Sasuke should've guessed the genius would read through him quickly. Shikamaru, on the other hand, was amused. _The former rogue avenger is lonely.  What had Hinata done to him in the last few months?_

"So is this a part of your training?" inquired Sasuke, practicing his small talk. He had a disdain for such inane social constructions but had observed that they eased relationships. If he wanted to not come across as not _so_ callous in his interactions, he had realized that proficiency in this area was almost a must. Hinata had assured him he would still be greatly feared and respected even if he was a little less distant and callous. _Just give it a try_ she had encouraged him. She had not admonished him or tried to guilt or pull on him to change his ways. _You are respected by the village already_ she had said _but I want you to_ _feel connected to it too._

His question earned a genuine chuckle from Shikamaru.

"Not at all. This is my relaxation. I don't get to do it as often as I used to because I'd rather be with Temari-chan when she's here. My mind doesn't have to be occupied with troublesome things while I observe the clouds" he responded, head remaining tilted toward the sky.

Sasuke saw his reason. And he ventured to state it. "So you don't have to think of her being in danger?" he asked, unintentionally revealing an empathy he did not know he possessed. Shikamaru was surprised.

"That does qualify as a "troublesome" thing" he replied easily, springing up into a standing position.

"Do you play Shogi?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue. Sasuke did not know the qualities of the shadow master well enough to realize this was quite an expected inquiry.

"I've never played" he replied, following his newly established acquaintance to the Nara household.

" _Good"_ thought Shikamaru.

* * *

Hinata was furious with her body. Their mission was just shy of half over and already her body demanded to be with his. _This ache...is it always like this when a husband and wife are apart?_ She was very surprised with herself. Who would have thought she would like physical intimacy so much? They had only come together four times yet it was almost like she _needed_ him as she lay by a slumbering Temari at night.

After nearly nine months of marriage, she was also sick of Sakura's routine. The pink-haired medic was still coolly distant to her and had snapped at her twice already. Naruto, in a very future-Hokage like way, had already book-ended both of Sakura's snappish comments with sincere apologies and disciplining glances sent to the medic. His fondness for Sakura seemed to have diminished greatly since the last time she had seen them together and Hinata couldn't puzzle out quite why. He had even dropped the affectionate "-chan" from the end of her name. _Sasuke's taken. Why isn't he going for her?_ Wanting to see Naruto happy too, she approached him one night as he gathered water and gently inquired about it. Sakura was busy preparing dinner and Temari was gathering firewood so no one would hear his response.

The blonde noted that her curiosity was genuine, as most of her questions were. He really missed having Hinata around, though of course her duty was first and foremost to Sasuke now. He wouldn't step in the middle of that, especially since his best friend seemed so fond of the beautiful Hyuuga girl. _No, woman now_ Naruto thought a little woefully. She had grown into a woman indeed and he was sure Sasuke had made her a woman in the last and final way possible. No one could resist someone like her that long, not even the supposedly distant Uchiha. _Damn, I still wish she was mine._

"Naruto, won't you tell me what's wrong?"

It was an unspoken understanding between them that she dropped the caring "-kun" from his name not out of loss of affection for him but out of respect for her husband. He was the only one she honored with that honorific now and it was better that way. It eased Sasuke's mind. Naruto had returned the favor with the same understanding. Sasuke had only called her "Hinata-chan" once in his hearing but he was sure that Sasuke rarely used anything else when he and his wife were alone.

"Nothing, Hinata. Don't bother yourself with silly old me" he replied, grinning. But it was not his old grin, Hinata knew, because it did not reach his eyes fully.

"I know you better than that. You and Sakura are acting like you hate each other. I d-don't appreciate the way she's been treating me either but for you two to be so tense is so strange and puts strain on the mission-"

"She tried to use me to make Sasuke envious" he said abruptly, knuckles turning white against the handle of the water bucket at his side. Hinata closed her mouth, opened it as if to say something, and then closed it again.

He reiterated the whole story of the night he had returned from the envoy. Sakura had allowed him to take her on a date. Little had he known she planned to drug him with a fairly powerful sedative, carry him back to his apartment and snuggle naked against him to wait for Sasuke to show up at the door in hopes he would finally realize his long-buried feelings for her and run away with her.

"She was trying to appeal to his love of being the rebel, of it being them vs everyone else" he finished, eyes distancing himself from the event. He had been hurt deeply. Sakura's obsession had finally driven her to starved madness, devoid of regard for others, even her longtime friend and pseudo-savior Naruto.

Something was bothering Hinata. How could Sakura have possibly known Sasuke would go looking for her at Naruto's? _Unless she had known that Hinata would not be in bed when he returned._ She tried desperately to remember how she could have been sedated. Anything she had eaten or drank that day she had prepared herself-

 _The flowers._ It clicked. _The flowers for Neji._ Sakura and Ino had both been envious of her marrying Sasuke. It wouldn't be beyond Sakura's prowess to concoct a slow-acting airborn knockout powder. Then Ino put it on the flowers she had pre-ordered and she had fallen asleep in the graveyard. _That's why I was so unresponsive when Sasuke carried me back._

This realization came to her in a millisecond and Naruto noticed the sudden tension in her features. Rarely had he seen Hinata's anger riled.

"What is it, Hinata?" he asked, slightly alarmed.

"I think she sedated me too" she said through gritted teeth. This really had gone far enough.

"What?" he said, feeling his own frustration with Sakura's envy reach the ceiling.

She told him of how Sasuke found her sleeping in the graveyard by Neji's grave and how totally incapacitated she had been.

"That's _**it**_ " he snapped, turning to stride back into camp.

"N-No, Naruto wait! Don't jeopardize this mission for the likes of her petty envy. Wait until we're back in Konoha" she pleaded. He stopped.

He gave her a long look. One, if she wasn't mistaken, that was also filled with a slight hint of regret.

"Okay. But only because of the mission" he said and strode a little more calmly back to the camping circle. However, both sensed that teamwork on this mission was already compromised.

* * *

"Checkmate"

" _Tch"_ was the only response Shikamaru would receive for his victory. Sasuke had been over nearly every day to spar and also play Shogi. Not that he would ever really be a match for the Uchiha in a spar; it was more to improve the shadow master than anything. He did manage to slice the former avenger on the arm today, though, but even that wasn't impressive because the Sharingan was being used nowhere near its full potential.

"Yeah, unless it's Naruto there's no real point in me sparring with anyone. The Hyuuga do give me a good run in taijutsu though" Sasuke had commented one day after Shikamaru looked a little defeated at having used most of his strategic power and not landing a hit. _How the hell do you give him a run for his money, Naruto?_

He'd gotten a not-so-troublesome laugh when his mom had almost gone to pieces at seeing Uchiha Sasuke walk through her front door. It hadn't been until today, the fifth day and the day before Hinata and Temari's mission was due back, that Yoshino had stopped wringing her hands every five seconds in the Uchiha's presence.

Sasuke's hand was on the hilt of his sword before Shikamaru even felt the presence.

The figure knelt, showing he intended no harm. His face was obscured by a wolverine mask.

"Nara Shikamaru. I am here to inform you that Temari of the Sand's mission has returned injured. I believe Uchiha Hinata was also on that mission so it's convenient that you are here, Uchiha-san"

Shikamaru and Sasuke shared a glance that lasted less than half a second before speeding off in unison to the hospital.

* * *

Sasuke all but barged through the door of the hospital, restraining himself to speak to the receptionist and not frighten her out of her wits.

"Yes, that mission returned less than 15 minutes ago. No, there were no fatalities-"

Both men visibly relaxed, releasing breaths they didn't realize they'd been holding.

"But all four sustained serious injuries. It seems Naruto-kun got the worst of it" she said as if that always seemed to be the case.

"Your wife is in room 201, Nara-san. She may be unconscious but you may go visit her. Hinata-san is in room 203 and should be awake"

Sasuke hesitated before opening the door. He'd been in such a rush to get here and now an unfamiliar queasiness had appeared in his stomach as he stared at the door. _Did he want to go inside?_

He shook his head, lips pulling back into an almost-snarl. It didn't matter if he _wanted_ to. He _had_ to.

More timidly than he had done anything in his life, he pushed the door open. There she was, laying on the hospital bed. Sasuke shut the door as quietly as possible.

"Sasuke-kun?" a weary voice queried from the other side of the room.

"Yes, I'm here" he replied, reaching her bedside. _How bad is it?_

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him. "I'm okay Sasuke-kun. I just have a fractured wrist, a sprained ankle and several thousand minuscule wounds from splinters all over my body" she informed, weakly reaching her uninjured hand to grip his lightly.

He exhaled. He did not like seeing her in pain but it wasn't as severe as he had feared.

"They probably made it sound worse than it was. But that's mainly because of Naruto. He took the worst of it for me; he shielded me, Sasuke-kun" she said, tears forming in her eyes. _He was there to protect her and I wasn't._ Sasuke suddenly felt inferior in Naruto's shadow.

"Why am I always the weak one who needs protection?"

Sasuke was pulled back to the present. He knelt by her bedside, squeezing her uninjured hand. She held his gaze for a long time and she knew what he was communicating without the use of words.

"You are not weak" was all he said before leaving her to rest. He did peck her on the forehead just after she drifted off, though. _You would not have been chosen as the matriarch of the Uchiha clan if you were._

He paid a visit to Naruto who was almost as banged up as he ever had been. Almost.

"Hey Sasuke!" he greeted as cheerfully as ever, though he obviously winced in pain as he moved his jaw.

"A fractured femur, several sliced ligaments, a deep wound to the chest, several wire bruises on your right arm and a nearly-broken jaw. What the hell happened?" he asked, more out of worry for Hinata than Naruto.

"It's nothing. I'll be fit in no time, though I'm sure they will force me to stay the night. There were just a lot of them, Sasuke. We were clearing out dens where non-ninja criminals and thieves have been hiding since they escaped during the chaos of the war" that was all he could say.

Sasuke didn't buy it. Even a hundred to four, common criminals could not have damaged such fine ninja. Those four were too powerful.

But he let it drop. If he couldn't say then he couldn't say.

His tone suddenly turned serious. "Thanks for looking out for Hinata" he said, face unmoved. The grin on Naruto's face abruptly dissipated.

"No problem. Oi, Sasuke, you're treating her right aren't you?" he said suddenly. Sasuke was a little taken aback. Was his devotion not obvious?

"As right as I can" he replied, turning to walk out the door. He did not see his blonde friend's head hang down and a long sigh escape into the empty room moments after the door shut.

 _If only..._

* * *

When Sasuke returned to her room, Tsunade had healed her wrist and ankle and had now moved to the thousands of tiny abrasions left when one of their enemies had thrown her into Temari's tree-splintering wind.

Her shirt was lifted up and all of her back was bared to Sasuke as he entered the room. The blonde moved to pull the shirt back down, knowing Hinata's shy nature.

"It's okay, please continue Hokage-sama" she said. Tsunade had to bite back a grin. _Oh yeah, these two are already intimately acquainted._ She'd nearly forgotten.

She hadn't seen them together since the Uchiha had chosen her out of all the others. But if the rumors she heard were true, the match was turning out better than anyone could have foreseen. She watched their interaction carefully. As stoic as ever, the man strode to the other side of the bed to come face-to-face with his wife. He said nothing. Hinata said nothing.

She was about to ask if something was wrong when she caught the look Sasuke was giving his wife. Without words, it bespoke concern and made Tsunade rejoice once more that it was only this severe.

Several minutes later, she was finally finished. "Okay, you're free to go home Hinata but you should rest from training the next two days"

Hinata nodded weakly in response, sitting up gingerly in bed. Without warning, Sasuke swept her up into his arms.

"S-Sasuke-kun! What are you doing? I am c-capable of walking-" but he didn't seem to be listening.

She received no response and they just endured the stares of the Hokage, the medical staff and the receptionists. Hinata had forgone struggling; she was weaker than normal and it was no use.

He did not move to make love to her after they were both settled in bed. _Didn't he miss me?_ Realizing that all those nights of aching were over, at least for now, electric shot through her veins.

"Go to sleep" he commanded, killing the current before taking his uniform place and situating himself fully against the length of her backside. She did not argue and drifted off in exhaustion.

Sasuke lay awake for quite a while, pondering on the meaning of his extreme distress at seeing Hinata injured in even the slightest way.

Subconsciously, his grip on her tightened and her hand squeezed the ones around her waist in her sleep, as if in reassurance that she was real, that she was there with him again.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun, I'm f-fine..." she said, crossing her arms over her breasts. As soon as she woke up, Sasuke had all but stripped her and insisted that he check her wounds.

Again.

He was intently scanning her abdomen and lower belly, where most of the splinters had landed. She would gain no new scars from this mission. It was several minutes before he leaned back from her, satisfied. She may still be a little sore and the many tiny abrasions would probably be tender for a couple days still but she was fine otherwise.

Now that he knew she was out of danger, her nakedness was distracting him. His other desires had shut off as his focus was channeled into her well being but now he felt them turn on again. He resisted. He liked to be fully against her when they made love and that would certainly be painful for her as she was now. _Two days. I am not so mastered by need for her that I can't wait two days._

She did not offer herself to him and he forced himself to relax as she redressed. She joined him on the bed again and they discussed many things: the future of the clan, what they wanted to do with the grounds surrounding the mansion now that they were settling in. And Hinata wanted to host an open-house Christmas party.

"It's an advantageous time to display the Uchiha wealth as well as the long-talked about revival taking solid form" she was saying. He had to agree. He wanted to directly discuss something with her, now that she had let him make love to her.

"We should also discuss children" he said. She stopped short, knowing this had been coming.

"Many will be curious" he continued. Not that he owed that answer to anyone, especially nosy nobles, but he wanted Hinata and himself to at least have the same answer.

"I-I...I am enjoying just being with you, Sasuke-kun, but...I know how much this means to you. I will be ready anytime" she said, a little unsure.

He raised an eyebrow. She was leaving this decision to him?

"Just...give me some warning. I will have to keep a closer watch on my ovulation schedule..." she said, a little awash with unbelief that they were having this conversation so early. She took the time now to explain to him about female cycles, unsure if he knew about them or not. He picked it up fairly easily.

"After the first of the year?" he suggested. He didn't want to push her but the most recent mission was fresh on his mind. _Either of us could perish at anytime._

She nodded. At least that gave them a few more months. "Okay, I'll start marking a calendar then..." she said, tracking back to her last period in her mind.

"There's a high likelihood for twins, given your father, right?" he inquired. She nodded again.

"That does make it more likely, yes" she confirmed.

"I just want to be prepared"

She giggled, standing to go mark a calendar. " Sasuke-kun, there is no preparation or training for parenthood"

He watched her, confused, as she strode out of the room.

* * *

He made it two days. Barely.

Hinata had noticed that her husband was more tense than usual; he seemed tightly wound. But she couldn't imagine why. Perhaps he missed training with Naruto and had a lot of energy to expend since the blonde had also been healing?

She had not yet decided whether or not she would tell him about Sakura's little sedative trick. She was pondering just that, actually, as she cooked breakfast. She was so deep within her pondering that she did not realize Sasuke was awake or that he had crept quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Suddenly, strong arms encircled her waist. She almost dropped the skillet out of sheer fright. His teeth were at her neck. The ache she had felt on the mission and the past two days, though she had left in unspoken, sprang to life. She barely reached the knob to turn the stove off before leaning back into him, surrendering.

Or so he thought. Without warning, she broke free of his embrace and bolted toward the stairs. He was there before her foot touched the second step. She playfully shoved him out of the way and dashed up the rest of the stairs, making it to the master bedroom's door before he caught her.

His hands were around her waist again and she felt his hardness against her back. "Not funny" he growled, shoving her against the door. She surprised him by licking his lips and then his neck. Though inexperienced still, he shivered.

"What took you so long?" she whispered, leaning her head back against the door and tilting her chin up to look at him. His expression revealed his surprise. But he did not respond. It didn't matter now and she opened her mouth readily as he leaned down to invade it.

He gripped her shoulders, attempting to communicate his need. _Control._

He slowed his pace, although he all but squished her between himself and the door. Sometime in the last few seconds she had managed to undo the tie of her morning robe.

He broke their tonguing to gaze down at her. "You don't have anything on" he stated as the yellow silk peeled back to reveal the valley of her breasts. He was sure she had a shirt on last night...

Still panting a little, she replied "I-I was hoping this would happen..." and seized his lips again, drawing him in further. _She's getting bolder._ He was warmed by her confidence in revealing her need to him. _Although I'm not sure she's ready to be taken against a door..._

Almost as if she was reading his thoughts, he sensed her hand reaching for the door's knob. He caught the hand and kissed it before letting it go, opening the door himself.

Stillness. _She's trembling_

She turned from him to walk toward the bed. Sasuke mischievously caught the tie on her robe, which tugged the rest of the garment off as she walked away. Hinata felt it ghost over her legs as it fell to the floor.

She halted, waiting for him to come behind her. Instead, he suddenly appeared in front of her and held her gaze as his hands came to hold their respective breasts, letting their weight settle in his palms. He squeezed gently, enjoying the immediate flush that rose in her cheeks.

"Mmmmm" she keened in her throat. As the he toyed with them, she reached out to hold onto his shoulders. Thumbs brushed her nipples. A moment without movement.

And then multiple high-pitched sounds sounded from deep in her throat as the sensitive peaks on her breasts were stimulated simultaneously. She gripped him tighter, leaning into his touch.

His thumb and middle fingers tightened again, drawing his name from her lips as she leaned back. _I-It's too much!_

Neither would remember how they got to the bed, only their mutual grasping of this new act that enthralled them both. He was big inside her still but for the first time he entered without paining her. They had been apart more than two weeks and she had grown somewhat tighter in his absence. But for the first time, her passage seemed to remember how to accommodate him.

Pleasure gripped her on his third and deepest thrust. Her legs instinctively tightened around his waist, ensuring their union was solid. He climaxed soon after, the release after building such a long time causing tidal waves throughout his veins.

He was vaguely aware a few moments later that someone was whispering his name. He kissed the mouth that the words were coming from.

"It didn't hurt that time, Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed, hugging him as he lay on top of her. She enjoyed feeling his weight against her and he enjoyed laying atop her just as much.

All he could do was smile, extremely pleased that her body was growing accustomed to becoming one with his.

* * *

September was nearly over when Temari finally got to go shopping for a wedding dress. As promised, only Tenten and Hinata accompanied her.

This fact pleased Hinata immensely. With these two, though there were playful teases, there was no cattiness and no envy between them. She was able to relax in their company, almost as she would in Kiba's and Shino's in the days of Team 8.

"That's hideous" Tenten said without remorse at the mermaid-style gown the Sunian had donned. Hinata, though less blunt, nodded in agreement. This was the fifth dress in shop number two. "Hideous" and "Tacky" had been the most common adjectives used today.

"Why don't we go to lunch and then try another store?"

This suggestion landed in favor with all three girls, even as the apologetic owner tried to shove another gown in their faces.

"You can't blame him, Temari-chan. Wherever Temari of Suna buys her gown will almost assuredly receive notoriety not to mention increased profits by a considerable margin" observed Hinata aloud and Tenten nodded in agreement.

"I know but you'd think he'd learn to take "no" for an answer before I had to knock him down with his own merchandise" Temari snapped, anger still cooling.

The other two didn't reply.

They chose Ichiraku's for its proximity to the other dress stores. Unsurprisingly, a familiar blonde head was there as they entered.

"Oh hey Hinata, Tenten, Temari" greeted Naruto as cheerfully as ever. _Good, he seems to be back to himself._

They settled into conversation comfortably. While Temari and Tenten were distracted with the arrival of their orders, Naruto quietly asked if Hinata had told Sasuke about Sakura's stunt.

"No, I haven't really gotten the chance" she said, white-lying. There had been plenty of chances but she honestly didn't want to bother. Nothing had happened since then.

Naruto didn't buy it for a second. The Hinata he had known had never lied about anything.

"Don't tell me that, Hinata. That teme tries to hide it but he nearly bolts back home after every single one of our spars. There's no way you haven't had time to talk to him" he snapped, a little more accusingly than he meant to.

"Well, we normally don't do a lot of talking-" the booth had gone incredibly silent just before she started her sentence. She hadn't meant it in that way but tomato red took its familiar place on her cheeks anyway. She inhaled sharply.

Temari's eyes had widened.

Tenten awkwardly slurped her soup, pretending not to have heard.

Naruto's countenance, however, took on an expression she had never seen it wield. It was almost a wince with a little bit of rage mixed in. It unsettled her to see Naruto look like that.

"-talking about Sakura, anyway" she finished finally, trying to save at least a little face. Temari started eating after a few beats of silence, leaving Hinata and Naruto to their conversation.

Naruto recovered after reeling for several seconds. _I have to let this roll of my back._

"But Hinata, if she-"

Hinata was tired of the topic of conversation and she cut Naruto off, something she had also never done before. But she was tired of thinking about Sakura, dammit.

"She hasn't tried anything since then. If she does, then I'll mention it" she said in a tone that signaled the end of the discussion.

Naruto slurped his third bowl of ramen in silence, a bit perturbed by Hinata's change in disposition. _Is it Sasuke's influence or is this just how she treats everyone she's no longer in love with?_

He didn't show it but it had hit him pretty hard when he realized that the beautiful Hyuuga was no longer attracted to him. Her endearing stutters and shyness had long fallen away. Beside him sat an impressive woman, kunoichi, and wife. Someone that could handle being the Uchiha matriarch. Only her kindness to him remained unchanged. Today she was a little snappy but the Sakura-thing had probably upset her. If she didn't want to discuss it, that was up to her. He shouldn't push.

As the women departed, Naruto finished off his fourth bowl and paid the old man. Wiping his face, he decided to pay Sasuke a visit and check out the new Uchiha place. As of yet, no one outside of Hinata and Sasuke had entered it, though he was sure half the village had received the same formal invitation to the Christmas open house in the mail. Hinata had not wasted anytime after she had received Sasuke's okay.

He really shouldn't meddle but his gut told him that Sasuke should know about the sedative incident. So he set his path toward the newly built mansion. His gut had not led him astray yet.

* * *

Ohhs and ahhhs abounded.

"Oh Temari-chan, you look so exquisite!" exclaimed Hinata, the first very positive review she'd given all day. Dress number eight at store number four seemed to be the one.

"You look hot" continued Tenten, motioning her hand to have Temari turn in place. The back dipped fairly low, showing off the blonde's tan to its fullest advantage. The haltered straps also complemented her frame beautifully and accentuated her collarbone.

"I don't know if you'll find another that suits you as well, Temari-chan" added Hinata. Temari looked lovely in most things but this dress elevated her to dazzling.

"If Shikamaru's tongue stays in his mouth as you walk down the aisle, I'll marry Gai-sensei" giggled Tenten.

"Alright, alright I get it" said Temari, eyeing herself critically in the three-way mirror. Thirty seconds later, a smile broke out in the reflection Tenten and Hinata were privy to.

"Okay, it's the one!" said Temari excitedly. Not usually one to gaga over clothes and always practical, she was truly ecstatic about an item of clothing for the first time in her life. She received a hug from each of the girls and called the seamstress in to place the necessary pins. It almost fit perfectly, though it was a little loose in the bust and a little tight at the hips.

"So I hear you might be joining Hinata and I as married ladies soon, Tenten...?" Temari threw out casually as they walked to dinner. Hinata's head whipped around to Tenten on her left who was surprisingly a little pink in the cheeks. _As predicted, Lee hadn't been able to keep quiet about it it seemed._

"Yes"

"You mean Lee-san finally...?" exclaimed Hinata, happy for her friend. Just as she had shyly observed many things over the years, Hinata had watched Tenten's fondness for the Green Beast grow exponentially in the years they trained with her cousin.

Tenten nodded, trying to keep a low profile as they entered the restaurant.

They settled and Hinata was bursting with questions. How had she not seen this coming?

"Do you have a date and everything?"

"June 13th of next year" Tenten replied. They had just decided on it yesterday.

As the waiter walked away with their drink orders, Temari chuckled.

"You Uchihas certainly ignited the marriage fever. Shikamaru and I are next, then Tenten and Lee, and not too far behind us will be Sai and Ino, I think"

"Really, Sai and Ino?" asked Hinata, a little surprised by the news. She needed to get out more and not stay in the mansion all the time...

 _Like Sasuke's going to let that happen anytime soon._

She tore her mind away from that train of thought, focusing on the conversation at hand. _But it's also something we need to enjoy while we can..._

"And" Temari continued "I am technically not supposed to say anything but Gaara may be marrying soon as well. For political reasons, of course, but he's been courting a noble woman from Water country for several months now. And I actually like her" said Temari, surprising herself as much as the others. She was protective of her brothers, almost as much as they were of her. Almost.

"How ever did Shikamaru win your brothers' approval anyway?" inquired Tenten suddenly, realizing she hadn't heard the story.

"First of all, he didn't need my brothers' approval. Only mine" she said with a smirk. "And secondly, he pretty much proved his mettle during the war though they were not highly opposed to him before that. He is heir to a powerful clan, after all, and he's a tactical genius"

"You're right about the matrimony fever, Temari-chan. I didn't realize so many were even close to the realm of being married" commented Hinata. _Have I been living under a rock?_

"Yeah, what are you Uchihas going to infect everyone with next, baby-making fever?" joked Tenten. Hinata's slightly off-kilter laugh alerted the other two just as their food was set before them.

"Wait, are you pregnant Hinata?" asked Tenten, suddenly realizing how insensitive her teasing could have been. Uchiha Sasuke was known for craving the revival of his clan.

"N-No, it's nothing like that at all. We just discussed it recently that's all"

"And?" prompted Temari.

"He would like to begin after the first of the year, though I've told him that it can take up to a year to conceive" she answered honestly, trusting the other two women with the information. She was very cautious about letting the world know about any plans involving children after her own attempted kidnapping at three. They were bound to be targets in some way or another.

"That's soon..." Temari said, unable to mask her slight surprise. Hinata was younger than she was.

"but expected I guess" she finished quickly. They'd survived a war and yet adulthood seemed all the more real now. Strange, how parenting seemed so much more of an adult thing than soldiering in a war.

The ensuing topics of conversation carefully avoided the previous subjects and the three women enjoyed the rest of their night on the town, trying to stave off the slight nervousness of the future that gnawed at the back of their minds.

* * *

"Damn Sasuke, this is a fancy place" commented Naruto as he took in the entryway for the first time. He'd always known both Hinata and Sasuke were fairly rich but the fact hadn't quite hit him in the face so bluntly until now. Sasuke didn't reply to the observation but was silently pleased.

"You're the first visitor to ever enter so consider it an honor" he said as turned.

"Hey, hey, hey now. You consider it an honor. I'm the future Hokage after all" laughed Naruto as he followed Sasuke into the living room.

"Isn't there supposed to be...furniture?" Naruto didn't want to sound unsophisticated. Maybe houses of the rich didn't have as much furniture?

"We still have to order some of the bigger pieces, like the couch" he replied. Naruto was surprised at the lack of smugness in his tone.

He took in the rest of house silently, nearly gaping at the magnificence of the upper level hallway. He was about to enter the fifth door down when Sasuke stopped him.

"That's the master bedroom. Hinata and I have agreed to keep the room to ourselves so it will not be shown, not even to you Naruto"

Naruto let it drop. _Are you as tender with her as I would have been? Is she just a means to an end for you?_

"So what're all the empty rooms for?" he asked. He had seen the training room, the room for clan heirlooms and documents, and even the traditional-style tea room. But there had to be at least four empty rooms. Sasuke's smirk almost showed his teeth.

"Children, of course" he said. Naruto's face took on many expressions in the span of a few moments. Epiphany, embarrassment, slight disgust and perhaps even a little bit of envy. Sasuke had always thanked the stars that his best friend was so easy to read.

"Hinata wants at least seven and I agree" he continued, turning to go back down the staircase. He had told no one else the number they had planned on, more to allow for a diverse posterity than anything, but he found he could trust Naruto with that information.

Naruto caught up to him as he stepped off the staircase. _It's really happening_ he mused.

"I'm glad you've found so much happiness with her, teme" he said, rubbing his knuckles into the Uchiha's hair. He would not allow that kind of behavior from anyone else.

"And that you have such a cool house" he continued, letting Sasuke's head out of his hold as he took another look around the living room.

"But you should know that Sakura's still not over it" he said, turning serious suddenly. _Now **he's** the moody one_ mused Sasuke.

"I noticed" was all he said. He sensed that Naruto had more to say and he waited silently.

Finding the words after several seconds of silence, Naruto reiterated all that had happened the night before Sasuke had discovered them.

"And Hinata's hidden this from me?"

Naruto grimaced. "Sasuke, you know it's not like that. We didn't connect those dots until this last mission. She noticed the rift between Sakura and I and wanted to know what it was about. The only reason she hasn't mentioned it to you is because she doesn't want to cause any more trouble between you and Sakura"

"Hinata is my wife. She comes before Sakura"

"I think you've made that pretty clear over the last few months. But Hinata knows what it's like to see someone you're in love with yearn for someone else and she's been trying not to irritate the wound. Hinata already promised me that she would tell you if Sakura tried anything else but until then she didn't want to bug you with it"

"That doesn't change the fact that she's been hiding something from me"

Naruto sighed. _Oh boy. I might've caused more damage than I intended._

"Listen, Sasuke. I don't blame you for having trust issues. Hinata is a gorgeous woman who could've had most of the elite men in the village if she had wanted"

Sasuke's fist tightened.

"She also has her faults but disloyalty is not one of them. Her feelings for me are gone, if you haven't noticed" Naruto said, trying to comfort his friend. He didn't want to get Hinata in trouble. And he had certainly noticed her remarkable decreased interest in him.

"Yours for her are not"

Deafening silence.

"No" Naruto finally said, not shying away from the malicious glint that appeared in his best friend's eye.

"But they were just budding after the war and nipping buds is a lot easier than ripping out roots. But Hinata's done that; I can see it in her eyes, in her movements. And she's done it all for you and for a new beginning for a clan that wasn't even her own. Just remember that" he pleaded. He didn't need Sasuke to tell him what he'd lost; he'd been telling himself for almost nine months now.

The way Sasuke was silent told him that he would consider his words.

"Anyway, I'm glad for you Sasuke. You're achieving your dreams" he said, a huge grin coming over his whiskered face. He couldn't help but pull the reluctant Uchiha into a hug, just to mess with him.

* * *

When Hinata returned home that night, she was pleased to see Sasuke waiting in the living room for her. He did not, however, look extremely pleased to see her.

"Sit" was all he said. She obediently sat in the armchair.

"When were you planning on telling me about how meddlesome Sakura has been?"

"I wasn't" she responded honestly. Her lack of defensiveness and lack of explanation threw him off a little. He was not used to dealing with someone who fought like this.

"Why?"

He was holding her gaze steadily now, searching intently for falseness with almost an expectant glare.

"Because I didn't think it was cause for concern. It happened almost two months ago now and there's no way to prove what actually happened. I am being more cautious around her and was planning to inform you the moment she tried something else"

She sighed. "I honestly wasn't trying to keep anything from you, Sasuke-kun. I just...I...I'm so tired of strained relationships between friends and I didn't want to see anymore!" she exclaimed, frustration and some weariness creeping into her voice. They had fought alongside one another in a _war_ for heaven's sake. Why couldn't they just all be friends now?

"I have told you to withhold nothing from me" he stated plainly. Her head lowered. "I am sorry, Sasuke-kun. That was never my intention" she said quietly.

He said nothing and turned toward the stairs, going to bed without her. Or so she assumed. She let him go, allowing him some space.

 _We really need to decide on and order a living room set soon..._ she suddenly realized as she looked around the room. It would take at least two weeks for it to arrive.

She did some dusting and cleaned most of the kitchen before turning into bed almost two hours later. Her husband was sound asleep.

Hinata settled next to him, facing him in sleep. She kissed him on his forehead before snuggling solidly against him. _I really didn't mean to hurt you_ she chanted over and over again in her mind, as if to ingrain it into his head telepathically.

 _I really just want peaceful friendships. That's all._

* * *

He was on top of her again the next morning. He just couldn't resist her, now that she was there next to him and willing.

So he woke her with kisses. His expression betrayed his surprise when her legs wrapped around his waist before she even opened her eyes.

"Hinata-chan...?" the only response he received was to be pulled down closer to her, his erection brushing between her intimate folds.

That made her eyes open. "Does this mean you forgive me?" she inquired hopefully, planting a soft kiss on his shoulder.

He was silent. But the way he moved against her told her that all was forgiven.

* * *

Later, she laid out three catalogs on the counter and sat Sasuke's lunch by them. As he came down the stairs, she told him to pick the one he liked best. Without two seconds of consideration, he pointed to the one on the far right.

"Okay. Do you want me to meet you at the training field after your spar so we can go pick out a dining set also?" she asked, looking over his choice for the living room palette. She had been hoping he would choose that one.

A small grunt, which she took to mean yes, and she handed him the lunch she had packed him.

"What's this?"

"It's your lunch" she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. _Hm, she's never made me lunch before._

 _"_ You've never given me warning of you and Naruto sparring before" she said, almost as if she had heard his thought. He hadn't quite decided how he liked someone being able to read him even a little bit. She pecked him, though, before sending him on his way.

 _Maybe it's not such a bad thing_ he mused.

* * *

It was a good spar, though Naruto noticed Sasuke didn't seem to be quite as into it as usual.

"Distracted Sasuke?" he taunted as he slid himself out of the mud he had become encased in. To his surprise, Sasuke held out his hand to help him up. It was so much like the old days that Naruto almost teared up. Almost.

"Even if I am it's still enough to whip your-"

And there was another two hundred clones surrounding him. _Always surprised by his sheer stamina. I'd be dead if I had to replicate this many a third time._

Naruto had certainly improved during Sasuke's time away from the village. He would never be as cool and calculated as Shikamaru was, another person Sasuke had come to enjoy-or somewhat tolerate spending time with. But far gone was the Naruto that just rushed in headfirst (usually anyway) and got captured by obvious traps. No, a he was fighting a future Kage now and with each battle he became more and more convinced that his friend would be the best Hokage yet.

Not that he ever voiced such things aloud.

Kunai clashed against kunai again as Sasuke defeated the last of the clones.

Another fifteen minutes and some less than harmonious Feng-Shui on the training ground later, the two reconciled friends lay sprawled out next to each other. Panting and exhausted, Naruto leaned his head back to grin at the Uchiha. Sasuke almost smiled back. Almost.

As they walked to their stuff, Naruto eyed Sasuke's lunch with envy.

"Oh man. She really likes you now. Do you have food stuffs with little faces that look like yours?" asked Naruto curiously, unceremoniously rifling through Sasuke's lunch.

 _What does that even mean?_

"AHA!" exclaimed a triumphant Naruto, pulling out a rather Sasuke-esque rice ball. Naruto was pleased with the ever so slight redness that appeared on his friend's cheeks.

"Nah, man, it's a good sign. She doesn't make these for just anyone, you know!" he said, handing the smaller Sasuke to the actual Sasuke. He laughed heartily again, not allowing his mind to wander back to the time when his face was mimicked in her recipes.

"I think that you is cuter" commented Naruto, pointing to the rice-ball Uchiha as he settled down to his own lunch. Sasuke declined to reply as he settled beside the blonde to eat. An easy silence abounded, something that was new to this friendship. Silence had not really been present between them in the old days of Team 7. _Another mark of maturity_ thought Sasuke.

A soft presence familiar to both of them entered not a second later. They both greeted Hinata warmly though her eyes were obviously fixed on her husband. She pecked him on the lips, surprising both males.

A devious mixture of envy and amusement roared through Naruto's veins. On one hand, he wished it was himself she was kissing. _Married to. Making love to. Bearing children for._

But on the other hand, seeing the aloof Uchiha stammer and nearly fall of the stump where they had been eating lunch was an amusement one did not get to observe very often. He regained his composure as fast as possible, coughing as his facial features straightened once more. Naruto had fallen on the ground, laughing quite loudly.

"We'll be off" he said curtly to Naruto, nodding before matching pace with his wife as they walked out of the training grounds.

Naruto didn't miss the way his hand clasped hers for the briefest second when Sasuke thought they were out of his sight.

* * *

Hinata rescanned the summons to make sure she'd read it correctly.

 _"Two months_ Sasuke-kun?" she asked, looking up into his eyes. He held her gaze, chasing away the gnawing anxiety in his own mind at being separated from her that long.

"And it's for both you and Naruto" she continued, eyes returning to further scan the document. _At least it's not a solo mission._

He nodded. He had to leave in an hour. Her head dug into his shoulder and he patiently held her for the nearly thirty minutes that she clung to him. Finally she pulled back from him. They shared a chaste kiss. "Return safely. Both of you" she whispered pleadingly.

And he left to sharpen and inventory his weapons, hoping the wet spot on the shoulder of his shirt dried prior to going before the Hokage.

* * *

Hinata spent a lot of time with Kiba and Shino, like in the old days. Akamaru's recent puppies were adorable and she loved to cuddle and play with them. But the easy, relaxed camaraderie they had shared was now marred with a underlying, tightly-wound strain. They carefully avoided the topic of her husband and her marriage altogether. In fact, they twice tried to walk her home to the Hyuuga grounds. Then, one day about a month after Sasuke's departure, she threw her hands up in frustration during one of their walks. She was also super moody due to her impending period but she reasoned it was only a slight factor.

"He treats me well, just so you know" she said seemingly out of the blue and albeit a little too loudly. Both her teammates' heads whipped around.

"We never said-"

"But you look like a skittish pup every time his name is even mentioned. He is my husband. It's a fact you both are going to have to face sooner or later and maybe treat him with a little kindness"

Now both men had halted.

"You don't have to tell us that he cares about you, Hinata. It's written plain as day for the whole village to see" said Kiba, scratching the back of his head.

"Indeed. Hinata, we can tell that you're resigned to this and are giving it your whole heart"

"We just...we just wish it hadn't been forced upon you is all. After all you've been through, you deserve to have at least one thing you want..." said Kiba a little awkwardly. This was a hard topic.

"I'm glad it was" Hinata found herself saying. A slight snarl on Kiba's part.

"You're _glad_ that marriage to a treacherous, sociopathic lunatic was forced upon you?" he said, a little bewildered. _Where had this come from?_

"Kiba, Sasuke isn't a traitor anymore. The war ended over a year ago now. And he takes care of me-"

"So, he's sweetening you up to be a sacrificial brood mare. I wouldn't be very happy about that..." Kiba had indeed seen Sasuke's devotion to her but understood it to be more of a devotion to his clan. Couldn't have his lady wandering.

Never in her life had Hinata intended to hurt the Inuzuka. But now, he narrowly missed a gentle-fist jab.

"If that's how you'll speak of him, we cannot be friends anymore Kiba" she said, much to the shock of both her old teammates. Hinata had never once lashed out at them in anger, no matter how frustrated she got with their antics (or lack of them on Shino's part).

"Woah. This marriage is not changing you for the better. The Hinata I used to know wouldn't do that..." accused Kiba.

" The Hinata you keep wanting so much was not married nor did you drag her husband's name and reputation through the mud without regard for-"

"He didn't need help with any of that. He did it all on his own"

Hinata all but growled in frustration and stormed off, taking the direct route to the Uchiha mansion. She was going to invite them over to lunch today but quickly forgot any thought of that gesture. _Will I really have to decide between my friends and husband?_

The thought sickened her. Shino and Kiba had been so distant over this past year since the war but she had always looked forward to a warm reconciliation with them.

She pouted for a little bit and wasn't feeling like dinner.

 _I'll go see Kurenai-sensei_ she thought, belatedly realizing she hadn't seen her since she got married.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke was deeply entrenched in enemy territory. He and Naruto had agreed to split up for a portion of the mission. As a pair, they were too well known and too easily recognized.

Sasuke refused to acknowledge it but he had missed his wife almost from the moment they departed. _I just miss the sexual release. That's all._

And he certainly did miss it. As he lay awake, seemingly vulnerable but ever alert, he would think of her, crave her. _It's almost like withdrawal. I truly have become pathetic._

But perhaps even more so, he missed her giggles. They ghosted his steps.

Her lovely face framed by cherry blossoms was always there to punctuate the distance he had so diligently tried to keep intact between himself and the rest of the world. The way she held his arm in public made the hair on his arms stand on end, even here thousands of miles away.

 _I HAVE to shake this off. _he roared inside his head and reached back into his days in exile, searching desperately for a way to return to what he once had been.

He.

Himself.

Alone.

It felt like she had control. She most certainly did not. He would not allow it. Uchiha Sasuke was not mastered by anyone or anything, including his wife and love itself. As much as he repeated that, her expression on that spring day before they had ever made love scarcely left his mind.

* * *

"Oh Hinata, come in!" exclaimed the red-eyed woman, moving to allow her former student in the door.

"It's been quite a long time since I've seen you" she said, leading her to the kitchen table. She served tea, waiting for Hinata to open up. She was extremely curious about Hinata's life as wife to Uchiha Sasuke but knew, after years of chats with the girl, it was best to let her bring the topic up.

The talk was casual, surface-level until Hinata finally broke it abruptly.

"We've...w-we've..." she hung her head. It was always so easy to talk to Kurenai-sensei before. Kurenai waited in silence, red eyes attentive over her cup of tea.

"I'm not a virgin anymore" she finally spat out, eyes averted. _Ah yes, this topic was always a little rough for Hinata. Perhaps she's still having trouble processing it?_

"I hardly expected different. You've been married almost a year now. Sasuke is a handsome young man and you are an attractive young woman" she said, neither judging or probing further.

Several moments of quiet. The flood gates opened.

"Kurenai-sensei I just don't understand all of this" the detached tone Hinata used disturbed Kurenai. Hinata told her most things that had happened, even that they had not consummated the marriage until a couple months ago. _That's why it's still so new._

Kurenai was not surprised to hear of Shino's and Kiba's reactions. _They wanted you too, you know, Hinata? You never or tried to never noticed both of their admiration for you went beyond that of friendship. But neither of them pursued it because of your love for Naruto. I can't blame them._

She did not say that but kept rapt attention on everything Hinata was saying. Rarely, if ever, had she seen the still somewhat-shy kunoichi talk at length like this.

"And so I am just really...really c-confused" finished Hinata almost ten minutes later.

The older woman let Hinata grasp everything she had just said and considered her response before replying.

"It sounds as if you still think you should like Naruto out of habit but your heart as realigned itself to the situation at hand more quickly than your mind. Hinata, you are not required to be in love with anyone as long as you are kind to everyone"

Hinata let that sink in. She was nearly 18. It was time to break habits she clung to nearly from a toddler age.

"As for Shino and Kiba, they are only wanting what's best for you. Give them a little time and they'll come around. It may take Kiba longer than Shino with his passionate dislike of Sasuke but you will see that he is a true friend in the end"

That made Hinata smile a little.

"And as far as sex goes, yes you do change a little bit after becoming sexually active. But it's nothing to be worried about. Sasuke was willing to wait for you and, if the rumors I've heard are true, seems to be devoted to you. He's likely very attracted to you, Hinata, even if he hasn't said as much. It'll grow into a good marriage, don't worry" she reassured. Hinata's smile was almost full-blown now.

"So regarding sex, would you like a few pointers and tricks?"

It wasn't the first time Kurenai had seen Hinata faint. _But surely it's the last._

* * *

Hinata wandered around the lower-level of the empty mansion. In her mind's eye she was decorating the entire floor for the Christmas party, set exactly three weeks from the current day. _And a week after Sasuke-kun gets back._

Admittedly, her mind's eye had been alternating between thoughts of decorations and of Sasuke's body against hers, of his hands on her bare waist and of his tongue dancing with hers. Unknowingly, most of her focus had been on the the latter things, but she had made at least a little progress on the decorations (though she had yet to notice that some of the ornaments were hung upside down).

Throughout the week, she forced Sasuke from her mind during the day and a week later the whole first floor was decorated in holiday splendor. White garlands lined most of the rooms and red-ribboned wreaths were interspersed at intervals throughout. She also made use of golden streamers along the ceiling and wielded the lighting to her advantage, placing candles in the corners and at choice spots along the walls.

It was a breathtaking sight when she was through and she stood in the entryway, a little in awe of her own work. She didn't let the candles go long, though, and sat in dark silence for a long while on their newly arrived couch, taking in the decor of such a grand occasion and letting the winter moonlight dance over the streamers.

Ultimately, she was trying not to think of how she would be going to bed alone again tonight. She was cold and wanted his warmth desperately.

 _Oh Sasuke-kun, please hurry back_ she thought wistfully as she look one last glance out of the large living room window.

* * *

Sasuke found that his tastes had changed. This was news to him.

He'd always been a light-haired, trim waist with good legs kind of guy. Now, as he waited for Naruto at the rundown and seedy pub in the middle of Grass country they'd agreed upon two weeks ago, he found himself all but ogling a dark-haired, slightly heavier-set woman with a too-obviously-displayed bosom. He could not for the life of him figure out why his eyes sought her out when in his avenger days he would not have even given her a first glance. Then, she turned to face him and he could see her face more fully. The deep liquid brown of her eyes slammed into him like a freight train. Those were not the eyes he'd expected. _Or wanted._

 _Damn it all. It's her fault. _

He hoped they'd be heading home after this. He didn't know how much more he could take.

As if on cue, Naruto's bright chakra shot through his awareness. Even though he was masking it as much as he could, Sasuke was on the alert for it and raised his eyes after several seconds to acknowledge the seeming-brunette that had just entered. _Good. That blonde mop is too damn memorable._

His face revealed nothing and within two seconds he and this stranger appeared together in the alleyway next to the ramshackle building.

"Let's go home, teme" a familiar voice whispered. Sasuke felt something well up in him, a gladness.

"Yes, lets" was his only reply as they set their eyes toward Fire country, hoping to melt the grime of this mission away.

* * *

The first frost had settled just outside Konoha's gates as they bounded through them in the early evening a week later. They were a day earlier than expected. Sasuke couldn't be more relieved.

Naruto noticed that the closer they drew to Konoha, the more paradoxical the Uchiha became. He was more relaxed but also more hell-bent on rushing back. _Suppose I'd be the same way too if Hinata were waiting at home for me._

Sasuke's peripheral gaze met his eyes then and Naruto smirked at him. Sasuke ignored him. _Idiot._

"Good, the mission was a success" commented the Hokage. They bowed and turned to walk out when they were stopped.

"You should get checked out at the hospital before reporting home anyway. Just in case"

A tense rage snapped through Sasuke's spine. " Hokage's orders"

 _Urgh._

As they walked toward the hospital, Naruto noticed the change in his friend's demeanor. Either Sasuke was getting easier to read or Naruto was getting better at reading him. Neither was very likely and Naruto spent nearly the entire walk trying to decide which it was.

"It's okay Sasuke. They basically just look at you and sign the form. Nothing invasive"

No comment.

"You'll be back with Hinata before the sun fully sets and then I won't see you until your party a week from now"

No comment.

"And neither will the whole village for that matter..." Naruto prodded, unable to resist teasing him. He had been surprised at Sasuke's deflective demeanor when he asked about their sex life during the mission; he hadn't gotten a word out of him.

"Shut up" growled a now somewhat pink-cheeked Uchiha. Naruto obliged, more because they were now waiting to be appraised than anything.

 _I hope the nurse doesn't look too close._ Sasuke thought, clenching his fist to try and calm the pulsating hardness between his legs. Just the fact that being inside Hinata was so close had driven him to one of the most desperate erections he'd ever experienced before they even saw the gate. _Oh dammit not her._

Pink hair and all strode into the room, a satisfied smirk on her face if he didn't know better.

"Naruto, you're fine. Go" she said, dismissing her longtime friend without so much as looking up from the paper.

"If nothing's wrong with me, then nothing's wrong with Sasuke" he stated. He would not let Sakura play her games.

"I think it's up to me to decide that. Now _out"_ she said, pointing toward the door with the clipboard. Sasuke coolly observed all of this.

Naruto reluctantly left but was plastered to the outside of the door. He knew Sasuke held no attraction for the medic but _she_ may try something. And he'd witness Sasuke's innocence to Hinata if he had to.

She stood quietly and ten seconds of silence passed between them.

"What's the hold up? I'm in a hurry to get back to my _wife"_ he snapped. This was a waste of time. He turned to stride to the door. She hugged him from behind, exactly as she had all those years ago when he deserted Konoha.

"S-Sasuke-kun...p-please..."

He wretched her off of him. "Sakura. I've been married..." his voice trailed off as it dawned on him.

" As of tomorrow, I will have been married a whole year. Let it go" he snapped before slamming the door.

Naruto watched him go, wiping his brow. _Whew._

* * *

He almost broke the front door. It had occurred to him as his fury from Sakura's antics dissipated that his wife might be on a mission of her own. _Please no._

The house had been dark and silent as he strode up. _If she's not in the bed already, we won't make it there_ he realized. _Hell, I may as well check the bedroom first._

He altered his course to the second story window, the same one a sunlight-shy and naked Hinata had pulled the curtains closed the morning after they first made love back in August.

He burst through it without pretense.

And there she was, already on the bed. His pants were down.

He watched her eyes take his lower half in as he approached her, forsaking all impression of control.

 _She's already naked._

Hinata was unprepared for the look in his eyes; somehow strangely, it made her want to spread her legs.

So she did.

He was against her in a flash.

"Hinata" he moaned. _He hasn't moaned my name before._

"I can..not...wait" he informed in almost a strained tone. She shyly moaned his name back to him, wrapping her legs around his waist. She knew he liked that.

And he was inside her again, filling her as only he could.

He was more vocal than ever before, grunting and moaning above her; his thrusts were rougher, more demanding too but she found them almost pleasurable as she gripped him with her legs. This night she found that watching Uchiha Sasuke come undone freely and express his pleasure was one of the most bewitching sights. She watched from below him with fascination, encouraging him with excited noises of her own. So much expression crossing his face fascinated her and she was fixated on it until the last when she was distracted by an incredibly deep thrust and the near-scream of his orgasm that came from above her.

She caught him again, preparing herself to become his pillow. Hinata was becoming accustomed to the things her husband liked and she also enjoyed the way his face would nuzzle between her breasts after his release came.

They drifted off to sleep silently together, words unable to express his relief at seeing her or her gratitude of having him back safely.

* * *

Woohoo! Their relationship is coming right along. I am trying to balance other things with the intimate stuff. Is there too much of one or the other? Other comments?

As always please R & R!

-Pi-chan! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Sasuke spent the first several minutes of their first anniversary simply staring at Hinata's nude, sleeping form. Never had his need driven him like that before last night.

And to his great annoyance, he was still clumsy. He used his hands and tongue well, just as always, but he still felt very inexperienced using his other extremity to bring his partner pleasure. Hinata enjoyed having him inside her. He shivered as he mussed her hair slightly and twirled the end of a long indigo lock through his finger tips, her aroused moans still ringing in his ears. Yes, she certainly enjoyed coupling with him.

She wasn't selfish with sex. But it galled him to no end that he hadn't brought her to climax yet. Sasuke liked to be an expert in all things and knowing he could take her fully and without restraint was still somewhat fresh and drove him over the edge every time. Before he could even think about focusing on her pleasure his mind was swimming and he was lost to her in the night.

 _Soon_ he thought as her eyes fluttered open. _Soon_

* * *

"Sasuke-kun!" the exclamation brought him from his thoughts. He pecked her on the lips as she stretched. Sasuke was surprised when his wife didn't move to cover herself. Instead, she was smiling sweetly at him and her eyes didn't stray from his. Her fingertips skimmed his face.

"I'm glad you came back safely. I really missed you" she whispered. The breath from her words tickled his chin and he was drawn into kissing her again. _No. I've got to make her anticipate it._

"If-if you mmmm i mmmm" her sentence was smothered by his lips and interrupted by his tongue forcefully making its way against hers. This kissing lasted several seconds before he withdrew and nuzzled her face.

"Now what were you going to say?"

His attentions were making her blush. "I-If you want to start our anniversary out by mmmmmmm"

He was biting her neck now.

"making love then I am n-not opposed"

"Hm. No, I don't think so" he said, smirking as he bit her neck one last time before retreating into the bathroom. Hinata was left both confused and a little put out. She laid there for nearly twenty minutes before deciding he was actually serious, blushing at the memory of his hardness, getting dressed and going downstairs to start breakfast. She sensed his presence behind her and ignored it until the food was ready.

Sasuke still enjoyed watching her in the kitchen. He was also amused. She seemed miffed that he had turned down her offer.

"You're not mad, are you?"

She set the plate of food in front of him. "No" she said. She managed a pretty monotone voice but something still told him that she was upset.

 _Well why the hell did he care? Sasuke Uchiha doesn't care who he upsets and does what he pleases._

It was then that the decorations strewn about the room struck him. And, upon turning around, he realized that all the decorations were in place for the party. _She's been busy._

"The decorations look nice" he admitted. He detected a withheld smile.

"Do you like them? I was hoping you wouldn't think them too gaudy for the Uchiha family" she said, listing off several small details she could alter if he wished.

"No, everything looks fine" he said, eyes sweeping around the room once more.

"Over 150 people have responded Sasuke-kun. Only four couples and six singles are staying that night, though, so I will make up the guest rooms over the next few days"

She thought of everything.

"I'm off to see Kakashi" he said, throwing a grin over his shoulder that made her wonder.

 _He usually talks about how to please women if it's just guys around. Maybe I can convince him and Naruto to train with me..._

* * *

Hinata had secretly been hoping that neither she nor Sasuke would leave the house on their anniversary. When he didn't return for lunch, she was a little let down.

A knock drew her from the kitchen, though, and she was surprised to see Kiba, Shino and Akamaru.

"We know it's winter but it's pretty sunny out. Do you wanna go on a walk with us?" Kiba asked, rubbing the back of his head.

She gave them a quizzical look for several seconds before turning. "Sure but let me bundle up first and write a note to Sasuke" she said, leaving the door ajar so that they could wait in the entryway.

As they waited, the her two teammates took in the grandeur of the large entryway and hall. _Damn, this is fancier than the Hyuuga place._

She rejoined them quickly, glad to have a distraction from Sasuke's absence. The group was several yards from the house before the silence was broken.

"I'm sorry about the other time, Hinata. It's just...we...Shino and I...we really care about you and want to see you happy. Not fake happy but, like, crazy happy"

She nodded, acknowledging that she heard him.

"And it's just hard seeing you have to give up on Naruto so soon after the war seemed to have settled everything and to see Sasuke use you-the ONE girl in Konoha who had never even given him a second thought-to rebuild his psycho-clan"

"I am a part of that psycho-clan now too" she admonished.

Kiba put his paws up. "I know. I know. Believe me, I know. My point is that, even if I don't like Sasuke, he seems to be treating you right. And you've been married a year now so there's not much we can do about it anyway but...just...please reassure us that everything is okay" he said, head hanging as they began a lap around a field.

"Kiba, everything is fine. It's true that he wants children sooner rather than later but then so do most ninja couples. We don't have the luxury of a long life very often. He wants very much to rebuild his clan but I am equally serious about helping him" she replied.

A long sigh sounded from both Kiba and Shino.

"He doesn't abuse me, guys. Far from it. He's pretty gentle with me and truly he is very attentive. I'm completely fine. As for Naruto, it took a while but I am over it. Really" she said, stopping in the middle of the path. Akamaru yipped. Both men gave her a long, meticulous look.

"Alright. 'S good enough for me. Shino?" inquired Kiba, looking at his friend. Shino nodded in response.

Hinata smiled and pulled the other two into a group hug with her. "Thanks guys! He really is an okay guy once you get to know him"

"Oi oi! Don't push it, Hina! I didn't say anything about wanting to get to know him"

She laughed and Shino chuckled. She truly had missed her times with them.

* * *

 _Curse Kakashi_ thought Sasuke as he walked with Naruto and the grey-haired man from the training grounds that afternoon. The man hadn't been predisposed to lewdness today, the one day he wanted him to be.

And Sasuke was not about to demean himself by going into a bookstore. He looked at the blonde suddenly. He _could_ ask Naruto. He had to've learned something from Jiraiya. _Or I could just go shoot myself now._

It would also be like pouring lemon juice on a wound. But Naruto already knew that he and Hinata had sex. So it was just guy-talk, right? _WHY_ _wasn't this covered in my seduction technique training? Oh yeah, because I insisted._

"Ja ne" Kakashi was saying, heading back to the Hokage tower. Naruto started to walk away.

"Oi, Naruto. Let's have some tea" he offered suddenly, catching the blonde totally off guard. _The hell could this be about?_

"Okay, sure thing" he responded, rejoining Sasuke.

At the tea shop, Naruto forced the tea down his throat. _Did I hear that right? He wants to know how to make Hinata-chan..._ OH HELL NO.

The ensuing few minutes consisted of Naruto falling backwards, holding his hands over his ears and screaming

"TOO MUCH INFO. NOPE NOPE NOPE I DON'T NEED THAT MENTAL IMAGE, TEME"

There was quite a ruckus before Sasuke could get him to calm down and shut up. Finally, after his explanation, Naruto still didn't look happy.

"Why are you asking me this? This is more of a Kakashi-sensei thing or-"

"Because you're my best friend" Sasuke said, mustering as much stoicism as he could. _That did it._

"W-Well, I didn't really pay attention that much to Ero-sennin if it wasn't training but-"

As he explained, he didn't reveal that he had personally always imagined having Hinata in this position himself.

Sasuke didn't need to know that.

* * *

The brisk walk and newly-reestablished bond with her teammates had cheered Hinata up considerably.

She wasn't expecting Sasuke to be back at the house.

"How was Kakashi, Sasuke-kun?" she asked as she pulled off her jacket. He smirked. "Kakashi"

They shared a long look. "Is something wrong, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, wondering at his demeanor.

The sun was beginning to go down and her eyes shone against the fiery backdrop filtering in through the window.

"Only that you have clothes on" he replied, standing to walk toward her. She shivered, dropping her jacket on the floor.

"T-That can change, if you like" she said. His hands raced up her shirt and underneath her bra, his thumbs grazing their respective nipples vigorously.

The sudden rush of pleasure made her stagger backward until her back was against the front door.

"Y-Your hands are c-cold!" she said, caught between pulling away and begging for more. He drew this out, leaning into kiss her deeply.

Then, just as quickly as he had started, he drew back. Biting down his own lust, he informed her:

"I am playing Shogi with Shikamaru soon. Later" he said, reaching around her to open the door and walk out.

* * *

Hinata stayed dazed, panting for several minutes after he left. _What's his deal?_

She was extremely frustrated to say the least. Almost stomping her foot, she decided to see if Temari was home. Her wedding was drawing nearer and might need help with something.

She was right. Her friend was quite stressed about catering such an event and was on the verge of a melt down when Hinata arrived.

"Let's go to dinner, Temari-chan" she said, all but pulling the blonde out the door. Listening to Temari rant about the ineptitude of people in the wedding industry distracted her from her own thoughts. She made a helpful suggestion or sympathetic comment every now and then but basically just let Temari blow off steam.

"Anyway" she finished finally as their food arrived. "How are you?"

"Good. Preparing for the huge Christmas party. It's a good thing I am experienced with Hyuuga parties or this would be completely overwhelming" she stated, relieved.

"I bet. Shikamaru and I will be there, of course. Do I need to bring presents?"

"No, not at all. In fact, there will be complementary presents for all the guests"

Temari's eyebrows raised. "Oh" _Customs in Suna must be different._

"It's true that typically the guests bring gifts and some of the foreign visitors may still in order to both impress the Uchiha clan and also display their own wealth in front of so many. But we have decided that since this is the premier chance of the long-diminished Uchiha clan to display that it is still a force to be reckoned with, we should give an excellent show of elegance, wealth, and nobility"

"That's a good idea. But the Uchiha name, especially after Sasuke's involvement in the war, his marriage to a main-branch Hyuuga daughter and not to mention the Sharingan itself being so feared, isn't as in the toilet as you imagine. It's still greatly admired and feared throughout the other lands" she said, speaking from personal experience.

Her confidence eased the pressure Hinata was feeling a little bit. "Still, I hope that it will be a grand time and perhaps an annual or bi-annual tradition"

Temari smiled. "I think Konoha would love that; it's going to be great revenue for them too"

"You nervous about the wedding?" Hinata asked suddenly, never knowing her friend to be nervous about anything.

She received an adamant negative. "Not at all. If I was going to be nervous about it, I wouldn't be doing it"

"You sound just like you do when you're planning on the battlefield" Hinata laughed.

Temari returned her laugh. "Maybe I am. Can't let him have the advantage all the time"

* * *

Hinata stayed late at Temari's but the house was still dark when she returned.

It wasn't until she entered the bedroom that she realized Sasuke was home. His voice snapped almost immediately "Where have you been?"

"Temari's" she replied easily and knew he was appraising her in the dark, searching for evidence of falsehood.

"Strip" he said coolly, and she realized that he was settled on the edge of the bed.

"I-I-I...no. I'm not going to be teased again" she said. _Third time today._

"Hinata-chan, I'm not teasing. I've anticipated this all day too" She was unmoved.

 _"Please?"_

The imploring word rolling off his tongue almost made her question whether or not it was him. It wasn't a sad begging or a plea of frustration. It was simply a revelation of how much he wanted her.

Her jacket fell to the floor for the second time and then her bra followed. She removed her pants and underwear a little more timidly but the garments were soon strewn some place or another.

"Come here, Hinata" he urged. She shuffled toward him a little apprehensively, standing before him in the column of moonlight shining through the curtains. She couldn't see him very well but her ears were already sharply tuned into the huskiness in his voice. It was a tone she only heard when he was in a mood for love-making.

"Closer"

She took another step and then halted.

Gritted teeth. "Closer"

Another step. An almost growl. Another step. It took all his restraint not to reach out for her.

Finally she was within arm's reach; he reached out. With each hand holding tightly to a hip, he pulled her to straddle him. He felt her shake.

"Steady" he whispered. _I have to calm down too or I'll be in a frenzy in no time._

She quieted, gripping his shoulders for balance. His thumbs found their way between her legs and she keened loudly as her lower lips received a massage. He watched her and listened to her for a few minutes, enjoying her pleasure in silence. She was already panting softly when his mouth found a nipple and his tongue danced intimately across it.

 _I have to pull back._ She thought hurriedly. _This is too much!_

But he wasn't letting her go. Moving quickly, he switched from massaging her to holding her wide open. His ready erection slid in with palpable friction and Sasuke helped Hinata's legs wrap around his waist so that she wouldn't lose her balance in the sudden rush of pleasure.

And, sitting on the edge of the bed, he began a slow rocking motion and slightly adjusted the angle of his thrust with each off beat of the rhythm.

His wife was holding onto him with everything she had. Her mind seemed to be swimming and soaring all at the same time. There was _so_ much **friction.**

He rocked. She rocked back into him. Slowly this rhythm built until Hinata felt each of Sasuke's large palms caress a cheek before squeezing and pulling her forward.

Her moans slowly morphed into half-screams. _Wh-what is he trying to-_

The thought never finished. He had thrust as he pulled her in, his hips crashing and grinding into hers. Still, his gaze was fixed on his lady. The expression of her first orgasm flooded over the features of her face.

Ecstasy.

Fervor.

Novelty.

All of them cascaded down the intense, wild passion that her features revealed. And it drove him mad. Sasuke yelled out too, his own release nearing. _He was the source of her pleasure._

That knowledge alone sent him over the edge and it was several minutes before he could clearly think again.

They were somehow on the floor. How had that happened?

Hinata was propped up underneath the window, her back against the wall. She was still panting lightly and crimson burned her cheeks when she saw her husband appraising her. Silence took over for several minutes before Sasuke groggily stood up, testing the solidity of his own feet. He walked toward his wife, extending a hand out to her.

When she took it with her own, he kissed it and led her back to the bed. As they tumbled in together and she willingly snuggled on top of his chest, he whispered

"Happy Anniversary" and returned her smile as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

The Christmas party preparations were almost complete. Hinata was going to have to get up at 4am the next morning to make all the food but it was worth it.

The final count of the night was 172 and Temari had just finished helping her tie the red ribbons on the last of the personalized goody bags.

"You've really outdone yourself Hinata" said Temari, looking at the streamers over her head in the enormous living room. This mansion was even nicer than the Kazekage's. And it was decorated with all the elegance befitting the Uchiha name.

"Thanks" she said, admiring her work again. She was a little nervous. Both Sakura and Ino would be here tomorrow night but she was sure they wouldn't try anything with Tsunade, Kiba, Naruto, and Shino present.

"Have you picked out what you're wearing?"

"Sasuke bought it for me" she replied, blushing. It was a silvery white evening gown, something she would never normally wear but that he insisted she wear. And she would, as long as he wore a color to match her. He had obliged and seeing him in a white tuxedo and silver tie had heated the room up rather quickly.

"Well, let's see it!"

Hinata had Temari wait outside the master bedroom while she retrieved it. Temari's eyes widened.

"Wow. Sasuke's going to make all the other noble men envious if he isn't careful" she said, allowing the fabric to glide over her palm.

"I doubt it. It's all the noble women who will be envious" she countered before walking to hang the garment back up.

 _Or both_ thought Temari.

* * *

Hinata took a deep breath. She was leaned in front of her vanity mirror, having just applied the last dust of blush to her cheekbones and put her earrings on. As if on cue, Sasuke emerged from the bathroom, still tying his tie.

"You know, I think I will almost like watching you put that dress on as much as I will like watching it fall off" he said, smirking at her expression in the mirror and coming up behind her to caress her shoulders.

He kissed her just below the ear. "Everything is going to go fine" he whispered before zipping her up.

"I know" she said, playfully batting his face away from hers.

"You'll smudge my lipstick" she joked. He quirked an eyebrow but let her go anyway. They needed to be downstairs.

* * *

Hinata was relieved. She had correctly remembered every single name on the guest list along with their associated country, family and rank. And she had greeted them accordingly.

Sasuke was bursting with masculine pride as the last couple walked into the living room ahead of them. Many oos and aahhhs of admiration were still echoing about the room, containing praises of both the decorations and the general splendor of the mansion. And not fewer than several were directed in admiration of the couple.

 _The Uchiha matriarch is such a beautiful woman! And such a good hostess!_

 _The last Uchiha made a very beneficial choice, in both manners and looks!_

 _The rumors don't lie. He certainly is very handsome to behold._

 _I thought the heiress was supposed to be a shy little mouse. Is this the same girl?_

These comments were lost on the hosting couple, though. Hinata and Sasuke were the youngest couple present by a good sum of years. The closest woman in age to Hinata was 24 and the closest man in age to Sasuke was 29. But the refinement of their respective clans was on full, brilliant display.

Sasuke allowed the magnificence of his manor wash over the crowd for a several minutes before clearing his throat. All chatter died down almost immediately. He was not accustomed to speaking in front a large group of people but his voice flowed out smooth and calm anyway.

"If you will take your assigned seats, the meal will be served momentarily"

Hinata had also made the seating arrangements to their utmost advantage. The nobles she knew Sasuke was the most anxious to be acquainted with she seated nearer to them and the ones they had invited out of politeness or ones they were already familiar with further from them. Temari and Shikamaru were nearer to Hinata, though, which he assumed was because of Temari's status and Shikamaru's earned name during the war.

The first course was a delicious soup and salad combination, one several of the noble men complimented greatly. Then, Hinata had prepared a bread dish and that also went over well. She was most nervous, however, for the meat dish she had prepared. It was a little tricky to get it all the way done but she had made it twice before and had allowed Sasuke to taste a slice before deeming it acceptable.

She heard no one complain and then dessert was brought out in five different flavors: chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, peppermint and peach.

This delighted many of the noblewomen present, who were renowned for their liking of sweets.

Everyone seemed satisfied and again Sasuke allowed a few minutes of lazy chatter. He lightly squeezed his wife's hand. He was about to stand when someone inquired which catering service had made the meal.

Sasuke stood. "My wife, Uchiha Hinata, made all of the food you've eaten tonight. And if you'll look beneath your chairs you will also find personalized goody bags, compliments of my wife on behalf of the Uchiha clan" he stated and the general awe of the room grew to a height as each person unwrapped their gifts.

Hinata's research into each individual and couple had been complete. The ninja among them were greatly pleased with personalized and high-quality shuriken and other ninja gear. Even Sakura was smiling at her new medical grade intense-duration gloves. Naruto was happy that he'd be able to eat at Ichiraku's without paying for at least a month. The various foreign dignitaries were pleased with the personalized seals and official hanging scrolls while their wives were equally pleased with their soaps and perfumes and toiletries.

Long into the night, the Uchiha couple entertained their guests. Hinata gave tours of the large hallway upstairs, immensely pleased with the sheer awe-struck silence intermingled with the small gasps of delight the sight produced. Naruto was the last to leave (who wasn't staying the night) at 2am. Hinata diligently stayed up to chat with the wife of an important dignitary from Mountain country while Sasuke and three other men had adjourned to another room for sake and cards more than two hours ago. The woman was well into her fifties and Hinata felt worlds away from women like these. She never realized just how different experiencing ninja life had made her.

"Anyway dear, I must be getting to bed. 2:30 is much too late for these old bones. You really did put on a splendid party. I do very dearly love the smell of freesia and pineapple"

 _I know_ thought Hinata. But she smiled in thanks, bidding her a very formal adieu. Once she had disappeared up the staircase, Hinata's allowed her shoulders to droop. _Finally._

She wearily made her way back to the master bedroom. She was just wondering if she should wait for Sasuke when the door to the master bedroom creaked open. As it shut, she looked at him expectantly. He smiled.

"All three want an alliance with the Uchiha clan. This is monumental for us, Hinata-chan" he said, happiness bursting out of him as much as he could allow it. She squealed in happiness, bounding into his arms with her last bit of energy.

"And it all couldn't have happened without your effort. Thank you, Hinata" he said, pulling her chin back so that their eyes could meet.

"This is my clan now too" she said, a little more awake by his proximity. His heart rate picked up.

As if reading his thoughts, her grip on his shoulders tightened. "You can smudge my lipstick all you want to now"

And he was certainly of a mind to do so.

* * *

Sasuke was called away again not too long after Christmas, the day after in fact. He, Tenten and Shino were to be gone for at least three weeks.

Hinata threw herself into Temari's wedding plans, taking care of many of the small details and decorations herself. She had also gone off all birth control methods, a new thing for Hinata; she was tracking her cycles diligently and, as the middle mark of January passed, was concerned they would not have a good chance to try for a baby until her next cycle.

Her peak ovulation day, January 16th, passed too without a sign of Sasuke's return. She wasn't really in a huge rush to be pregnant anyway so she wasn't too concerned about missing the first optimal window.

This time, she was given warning of his team's return. His wounds were not severe but he would be at the hospital for a couple hours until Tsunade had seen to Shino's more serious wounds and tended to the Uchiha. Hinata changed into the white, lacy lingerie she and Temari had bought that day before Hinata was even married. She hadn't had the gumption to try and wear them yet but now seemed like the perfect time.

Sasuke stumbled through the window to his master bedroom late on the 17th. She'd been mentally preparing herself and stood to greet him. Sasuke's mind hadn't even been on sex this time. He had just wanted to get back to her safely.

But taking her in now as he did, his body reminded him how long it had been. The contrast of the white, lacy and barely-there lingerie with her dark hair was alluring and even more so when highlighted by moonlight. He still had yet to decide whether he liked seeing her naked form outlined by moonlight or sunlight better but that was a pondering for another day, another mission.

She lead him this time and had prepared some pillows in advance. She laid back on them so that they elevated her lower half and let her legs dangle off the bed.

He understood. "S-Sasuke-kun, I need you" she simpered. He smirked.

"Really?"

"R-Really really" she said, spreading her legs as wide as she could before encasing his waist between her legs. His bulge gave him away and he ripped her own panties (if you could call such flimsy material that) off as well as his. Before he could thrust, she lifted her legs over his shoulders, pulling him in deeper than ever before.

"H-hinata..."

Not another word crossed his lips the entire night.

* * *

Sasuke was called away again almost before he woke up. Hinata all but cried. They certainly weren't getting the time to reestablish his clan that he wanted. _They_ wanted. She corrected herself.

She wasn't having second thoughts; Hinata knew what she had signed up for and was mentally prepared for it. _But 18 seems so young._ Not that there was any reason to think they would conceive early enough for her to not have had her 19th birthday at the end of the year. _But it is possible._

This mission was about the same length and was with Tenten again, except now one of Shino's cousins was the third teammate. Hinata wondered at the similarity between the two missions but there wasn't any use in trying to figure it out.

* * *

 _My period's late_ she thought. The first days she had chocked up to her own miscalculations. But as of this morning her period was indeed a week late. _There's no way we conceived on the first try. No one's that lucky._

She continued in this denial another week. Still, her period had not come. Then, as if to welcome the month of February, she woke up and her breasts were much more tender than normal. It hurt to brush against anything. _Finally my period's-_

Hinata barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up. _This is way too early for morning sickness. Maybe I'm just ill._

She finally took out a pregnancy test when her period was three weeks late. It was positive.

She took another. The little + sign stood out, clear as day.

She took a third with the same result.

She felt her belly. Nothing felt different; it was maybe a little bloated but other than that she didn't feel any different. Then, the news overwhelmed her and she cried. And then she laughed. And then she cried some more. She also threw up again.

After gaining some confidence that another vomiting episode wouldn't happen for some time, she went to see Tsunade.

* * *

The blonde was surprised to see Mrs. Uchiha at her door but welcomed her in gladly.

As soon as the door was shut, Hinata blurted out in a very non-Hinata like fashion:

"Ithinkimpregnant"

It took a few seconds for Tsunade's mind to separate the words. Then she beamed.

"Hinata! That's wonderful!" she exclaimed. The examination took less time than Hinata expected.

"You are indeed pregnant" confirmed Tsunade, a light purple chakra roving around Hinata's abdomen. Hinata's smile grew wider.

Here are some charts for balanced eating, though I'm sure as Hyuuga and a ninja your diet is healthy already. I will want to see you every month to make sure the development is going well and will not assign you to any missions until at least four months after your delivery"

"Sasuke-kun is gone and doesn't know yet so...I'd appreciate it if you not tell anyone else yet" she said.

"Of course"

As Hinata went home, she couldn't help but hum a nursery rhyme to herself.

* * *

Sasuke was tired. And he wanted to be home. _Just one more day_

Finally, the Aburame extracted the insect they needed. _Tsunade had better use this to make all ninja damn near invincible._

Sasuke almost turned around and bolted home by himself. "Let's camp here for tonight and head out in the morning" Tenten said. She was captain on this mission so he had no choice but to obey.

 _Three days_. He growled in frustration. The irony struck him as funny while he drifted into the familiar, fretful sleep of missions. He'd been so hell-bent on leaving Konoha and now he was all the more hell-bent on getting back.

* * *

Hinata's greeting to him had been odd. She didn't offer herself to him. She even seemed nervous to see him. _Was she hiding something?_

"Lay down for me, Sasuke-kun, on your stomach please" she said, pulling him out of his thoughts. _Excuse me?_

He eyed her warily but eyes widened as she stripped him naked. "Hold still" she snapped as he tried to turn around. "This is your Valentine's day gift now _lay still"_ she said, emphasizing her seriousness by slightly spanking him.

His turn on was immediate but nothing compared to when the massage began. Sasuke had been massaged before, dozens of times by dozens of talented, experienced hands. But never _ever_ like this.

And the scent of the oil she was using, though subtle, was driving him insane. Some cinnamon and vanilla shit he wanted to pour all over her and rub against her until neither of them could even spell "oil".

A long, low groan sounded from his throat as she worked her way down his back and over his rump. _Every place. How does she know every place?_

"Turn over" she all but commanded and he did so without a second thought. The evidence of his need very prominently stood out between his legs. To his dismay, however, she began at his feet. Then, he saw her activated eyes. _That's how. She sees every nerve and-_

She ghosted over his erection and he reached out to slam her down on top of him. She out maneuvered him, turning him on even more, and finished massaging his torso and shoulders before pecking him on the lips. When she lifted off of him, he said:

"Good. Now let me inside you"

The devious smile he received elicited a shiver from the base of his spine. A slow shake of her head. She slid down slowly, her fingertips dragging against his abs, the V his muscles formed, and finally she hovered above his erection; he could feel her soft exhales of breath grazing over it gently.

She stopped. Her cheeks were blazing pink but as their eyes met he saw the pure determination in her gaze. _Sasuke Uchiha was not getting his way tonight._

* * *

It was embarrassing, how rapidly he came. Not even five minutes inside her mouth and he was screaming out her name in ardent release. She seemed a little surprised but swallowed without flinching and even licked her lips afterward.

Sasuke barely took all this in. His head was lolled back from pleasure. Hinata settled herself at his side, snuggling into him and awaiting the right moment.

Almost ten minutes later, he finally spoke. Marriage had made him strangely fond of breaking silence.

"Happy Valentine's Day to you too" he said, his arm coming around her. Their conversation was dull for a few minutes, fluffy post-coital chatter; Hinata still seemed a little off to her husband. He was wading through what could possibly be wrong. Somehow, it hit him.

"It's after the first of the year, isn't it?" he queried, seeing if this garnered a response. He pecked her on the lips.

"Y-Yes" she responded. "Well, if things had gone my way, we could've had our first try" he said, ruffling her hair playfully. He leaned down to inhale her scent.

"But I will be more than happy to try all night" he whispered, already anticipating the pleasure of cuddling with her as sun rose.

Hinata bolted up right, sitting up to hug her knees and all but pulling away from Sasuke.

"Okay, that's it. What's wrong?" he demanded, not appreciative of having things hidden from him. She looked back at him and Sasuke found this to be one of the rare times he couldn't read her look. Her lips were trying not to curl into a smile but her eyes remained a weird mixture of anxiety and almost distance.

He had to ask her to repeat herself.

"We don't have to try anymore, Sasuke-kun" she said. Hinata hadn't decided how to tell him yet but this seemed like as good a way as any. He stared ahead, spacing out for a few seconds.

"But we only-"

"I know. It only takes once, Sasuke-kun" she replied, giving him a timid smile. He seemed a little hesitant. "I wasn't expecting it so soon either b-but it was pretty close to my optimal fertile window, within a day"

He reached out with his left hand to cup her chin. "You're sure?" he asked. She nodded, unsure if she should express her excitement or not. A true grin slowly spread over his face and he reached out to tug her to him, not allowing her to witness the tears welling up in his eyes.

She held him, tugging his hands to her stomach.

"I'm not very far along, not even a month yet. We have the unusual advantage of knowing the exact date of conception since the last time you were home is the only possible time." He listened to every detail.

She pulled away, smiling at him. "I warned you about my fertility, Sasuke-kun" she teased, rubbing her nose against his. He actually chuckled.

"When would you like to announce it?" he asked.

She blushed. "I-I'd rather wait until I'm at least three months along, Sasuke-kun. But there's a few people I'd like to tell in person: Temari-chan, Hanabi-chan, father, Kiba, and Shino. They can all keep a secret pretty well.

"I would like to tell Shikamaru, Naruto and Kakashi. The first and third can definitely keep a secret and the second one will if he knows what's good for him"

Hinata was surprised but glad to see that Sasuke was starting to reconnect, to share his life with others again.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm kinda sad our time as just us is over so soon but I'm so happy too" she admitted honestly. He held her, kissing her face and her neck.

"I need to go on a walk" she nodded, understanding that he needed time to process.

The villagers assumed that, as usual, it was Gai-sensei or Rock Lee running about the outskirts of the village in the night, screaming with delight.

The two Green Beasts, however, were away on a mission where even their shouts of youth could not be heard.

* * *

Whew that was a longer break than I intended. 6,500+ words on this one, folks! Let me know if I'm still keeping a good mixture, a good pace, and that it's not boring you!

P.S.- Y'all are gonna kill me but internet is going to be spotty for me the next few months but I'll update when I can! Promise!

-Pi-chan!


	13. Chapter 13

According to Narutopedia, Hinata was 16 when the war ended (in October). In this fiction, she and Sasuke married a little over six weeks later in December before Hinata's 17th birthday. They've already had their year anniversary after which Hinata turned 18 and it's just after the new year. So, they would both be 18 when the conception took place.

Sasuke will turn 19 this coming July and Hinata will turn the same in December.

Yes, 18 is young for parenthood but then 16 is young for warfare.

* * *

Hinata had been amused at Sasuke's handling of her for the first few days after she told him the very surprising news of their success. The couple had decided to enjoy having the news to themselves until the end of March when Hinata will have passed the second month mark. Then they would tell their friends privately before announcing the news to the public in April, after Hinata passed the third month mark.

But he was really getting annoying. He wanted to carry her nearly everywhere in the house and started freaking out and cussing if she tried to go up or down the stairs. And she didn't even have a belly yet! Her morning sickness had subsided somewhat (she still thought it was quite early to have it) until four days later, when she scared Sasuke awake bolting to the bathroom. He followed her quickly, worried. He'd seen plenty of people vomit before but something about seeing his wife do so was a little disconcerting. She seemed...too delicate for it almost.

Not to mention, she was thoroughly embarrassed at him witnessing such an episode. She was going to turn to tell him to leave until she felt something stroking and gently pulling on her long locks, as if trying to wrangle them into a ponytail. _Why, i-t's Sasuke! Oh, I can't let him-_

She didn't have time to protest. She threw up three more times before rocking back from the toilet and crumpling against Sasuke's knees. He shifted immediately, cradling her and was silent for a few moments. He was almost afraid to ask.

"Is something...wrong?" he asked hesitantly. He'd heard about terrible miscarriages.

Wiping her mouth, she tilted her head back and shook it slowly. "N-No. Welcome to pregnancy!" she yipped in a mock playful voice.

"It's called morning sickness, for obvious reasons, although it doesn't always happen in the morning. It's really early in the pregnancy to have it, though. I guess I'm just fortunate" she said, smiling.

He returned the smile hesitantly. _I wonder what else goes wrong?_

Sasuke didn't have to wait long to find out. He had pulled her back to bed to cuddle (for her rest and not because he liked to cuddle, dammit) and at some point during their conversation, he teased her. Her eyes hardened. Usually, Hinata was so lighthearted and opened to his teases.

But not today. She snapped at him, stood from the bed, marched to the bedroom door, slammed the two sides together as she closed it and went downstairs to the kitchen. Sasuke was bewildered, having eased his guard down around his wife without realizing it.

* * *

It was not above Sasuke's dignity to appear before his Hokage for advice. It would've helped, however, if she hadn't laughed so much.

"Ah, Sasuke. It really is quite wonderful to see you in this position. You're so lucky Naruto can't see you now" she cackled, sake swirling tempestuously in her glass.

"But don't worry. It's just hormones. How much do you know about pregnancy, exactly?"

His already reddened face deepened and he glanced to the side. "Not...all that much. She'll gain weight, right?"

A deep sigh with an amused smirk came over Tsunade's countenance. "Here. This is a "What-To-Expect" book for the husband side of things" she said, handing him an ostentatiously designed book. The cover was bright and soft baby pink and the back was a robin-egg blue. The _hell_ he was going to be seen carrying something like this around.

"I...thank you, Hokage-sama" he said, weaving the tiniest bit of genjutsu over it so that the cover looked a little more manly.

* * *

Hinata threw herself on him as soon as he got home, tears trickling out of her eyes.

"Oh Sasuke-kun. I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! You really are the best thing in the world!" she exclaimed. Now he was really unsure.

He held her, a little taken aback. _The best thing in the world, huh?_ He couldn't help at the smirk that overcame his features.

"Here! I made your favorite dish while you were away. Oh, what's that?" she asked, noticing the book under his arm for the first time. She knew he enjoyed books from time to time but was hardly an avid reader.

"Uh, something the Hokage wanted me to read" he said, a little more jumbled than he meant to.

"Oh, okay. Do you have plans today Sasuke-kun?" she said, feigning disinterest in the book. When he started to answer her, she swiftly grabbed it. He hadn't answered as nonchalantly as usual. Was he already turning to other material for satisfaction before she even gained weight? Not normally a suspicious type, this gesture did not suit her.

"Huh, this is only an advanced fire jutsu field manual..." she said, still not satisfied. She was holding off Sasuke, who was too concious of her pregnancy to try and use force to grab the book back.

"Kai!" she shouted and the cover changed instantly. She teared up again as she read the cover and turned around to find her husband blushing slightly as she handed it back to him.

Again she flung herself on him. "Sasuke-kun, I'm so sorry again! I should've t-trusted you!" she said and the crying began again.

Sasuke was very perplexed and very overwhelmed. _I need to read this book and fast..._

"Oh! The food is getting cold! Hurry and eat, Sasuke-kun" she said, motioning toward the food.

"There's only one plate, Hinata-chan. You should eat too"

She shook her head. "As fond as I am of it, this is too heavy for me. I need to eat lighter meals to try and curb the vomiting" she leaned up to nuzzle his nose with her own.

"But thank you for being concerned. Now eat" she repeated. Sasuke sat down, a little afraid to argue.

* * *

As the end of February passed, Hinata began to notice her weight gain. Her appointment with the Hokage wasn't until the 11th of March but she'd gained quite a bit already with a week to go.

"Oh well, maybe this is normal"

It was not very visible yet, though. She'd always been curvy and Temari hadn't really noticed anything and she'd be one of the first. Of course, Hinata was thankful that her blonde friend was so busy with wedding preparations that she didn't really notice anything else.

Hinata wore a lovely and very formal emerald green kimono to the wedding and Sasuke matched her in color, only his had a bold dragon embroidered on the back rather than lotus blossoms. Everyone present gasped as Shikamaru dared to do a very troublesome thing: dip-kiss his bride. She playfully smacked him afterward but everyone saw the glittering in her eyes as she looked at him.

The reception was almost as nice as Hinata and Sasuke's had been. _The only thing more beautiful was you_ Sasuke had whispered to her as they waited in the receiving line, his hand on the small of her back. Hinata was still blushing as Temari greeted her enthusiastically, thanking her for all she had done.

It was the Uchihas' first chance to dance together since their own reception and they danced marvelously for the occasion. He refused to let anyone else dance with his wife and, thankfully, Hinata did not throw up during the reception.

Temari and Shikamaru were going on a two-week honeymoon and to where no one knew, except the couple. Hinata had a guess, according to some questions Shikamaru had bothered to come ask her about her travels with the Hyuuga clan, but she did not press further to know the exact location. _It was their time._

As they walked home, she shot a shy glance at Sasuke who was already looking at her. So both looked away, a little embarrassed.

"Did you want something?" she asked in a searching whisper.

He squeezed her hand. "No"

"You were looking at me"

"It's hard not to" he said, stopping short on the last word and a little embarrassed at his frankness. _Did I really just say that aloud?_

Her blush deepened. She squeezed his hand back.

"Y-You know..." she began, looking down at her feet shyly.

Though trying to appear disinterested, Hinata noticed Sasuke's rapt attention out of the corner of his eye.

"It's okay to...have s-sex while... now" she said a little awkwardly.

"IT IS?" Sasuke coughed slightly. "I mean, it is?" he said, lowering his voice. She giggled. "You should've just asked" she informed him, pulling a little ahead of him on the way back to the Uchiha compound.

"I didn't...know if you'd want to?" he said in the most unsure tone she'd ever heard come from him. _This is new for him too._

"Hmm..I think I could be...tempted..." she said, tugging on his arm a little harder. She didn't get a chance to tug a second time before she was in his arms and he was gently bounding toward the Uchiha mansion.

* * *

Tsunade's constant shift from a concerned expression to a confused one and then to a concerned one again over the last few minutes had made Sasuke paler than usual. The shifting hadn't stopped since his wife had told Tsunade that she'd already gained twelve pounds. _Is something wrong? What if I lose Hinata?_

The blonde's hands roved Hinata's stomach, chakra swirling for several more minutes. Sasuke couldn't take it and very uncharacteristically began tapping his foot ever so slightly.

Suddenly, she leaned back and inhaled deeply. "Hinata, I need you to concentrate your Byakugan on your stomach and tell me what you see. Your vision is the easiest way to make 100% positive"

Hinata nodded but her mother's intuition had already somewhat alerted her, though she hadn't told Sasuke. She'd sensed different chakras. _There's more than one._

Sure enough. "Three, Hokage-sama"

Tsunade beamed. "Congratulations, Uchihas! It's triplets! This is that clan revival you've been waiting for, Sasuke, and it's in full swing!" she said, laughing.

Hinata turned toward Sasuke and pulled him into a hug. It took him a little longer but eventually a genuine smile broke out over his face.

"Three?"

"Three" confirmed Tsunade, then turning serious. "But I should tell you that this complicates things quite a bit. Triplet pregnancies can be very difficult. You'll gain 50 or 60 pounds and you'll likely deliver around 33 or 34 weeks rather than carrying to full term, as that's when most triplets are born. And during delivery, you may have to have an emergency c-section if one of the unborn babies' heart rates goes haywire. I will also need to see you weekly rather than monthly to make sure everything is going correctly. This explains the early onset symptoms of nausea and weight gain. You're just about what I'd expect for a triplet pregnancy. And all three were healthy today"

As Tsunade explained further, more of the weight of fatherhood hit Sasuke suddenly. _There was so much to do...there's so much that could go **wrong**..._

"And Hinata, your sense and use of chakra will be nearly non-existent by the fifth month. Usually it's only the last two months or so but multiples always intensify symptoms. Even I have only dealt with triplet pregnancies less than two handfuls of times"

"Wait...you mean she won't be able to...use chakra at all? But that makes her so vulnerable!" exclaimed Sasuke.

"That's the way it goes. Her chakra flow has to decrease to a minimum not only so that the babies' can gain a right sense of the outside world but also so that flares don't disrupt their growth. I didn't make that rule so don't yell at me"

"Sasuke-kun. I'll be okay" she assured, tugging on his arm.

"Your official due date is October 9th and that should be pretty accurate, since you were able to provide me with the exact conception date. But as I said, triplets usually come early so it may very well be September. I think that's about all for today. Congratulations again you two! I'll see you back next Thursday, Hinata!"

* * *

"I have to stop going on missions"

"You know you can't do that Sasuke-kun. Tsunade won't let you off the roster until closer to my due date"

He growled in frustration as they walked down the center of town.

"I also won't be able to hide it much longer. My stomach still looks fairly flat but by the end of April people will surely know. Can we tell our friends right after Shikamaru and Temari return instead of waiting until the end of the month? I want to surprise them."

Sasuke nodded, seeing they had no choice.

"I'm going to start setting up precautions around the mansion" he stated. She stayed silent until they reached the mansion.

"Sasuke-kun, you can set precautions after my chakra flow decreases" she said.

"Hinata-chan, I'm not taking chances with you and our babies and that's final"

 _Our babies._ The possessive coming out of his lips rang around in Hinata's head. She squeezed his arm, tears slowly falling down her face as she leaned into his shoulder.

"What did I say?" he asked immediately, alarmed.

"They're...they're just _ours"_ she sobbed.

 _I understand a little...I think_ Sasuke thought as he held her.

* * *

The morning after Temari and Shikamaru's return from their honeymoon, Sasuke and Hinata set out for the Hyuuga manor. They had told her father that it was just a courtesy call.

Hinata had vomited quite a bit that morning so they were running a little late and though this surprised Hiashi (his eldest was usually very punctual) he still didn't seem to mind. Most of the family was still eating breakfast when the Uchihas arrived. As Hiashi exited the dining room upon being notified of their arrival, he saw that Hanabi had beaten him to the couple and was excitedly speaking with her sister.

Hiashi, though usually perceptive, thought nothing about a courtesy call. His daughter and son-in-law had made only a few of these over the past year but he wondered if this time they wanted something from him. _No, that's silly. The Uchihas left Sasuke with more than a small fortune. They wouldn't need anything from me._

Hinata was grateful when Hiashi suggested they adjourn to his study without being prompted. She was feeling very woozy and if not for her grip on Sasuke's arm she doubted she would have stayed upright.

They settled into small talk, Hanabi excitedly settling on the other side of her older sister. _I miss having you in the compound with us, nee-chan!_

A lull came in their small-talk and the couple glanced at one another out of the corner of their eyes.

"Okay, what do you want?" asked Hiashi, having caught their glance.

"Just to let you and Hanabi be the first to know that you're going to be a grandfather and she's going to be an aunt" replied the Uchiha as coolly as he could manage. A slight smile threatened to turn the corners of his mouth upward.

 _Already?_ Hiashi didn't speak for several seconds but Hanabi squealed in excitement almost immediately. _A baby! Nee-chan's baby!...an Uchiha baby?_

Whatever. She was still excited. Even if it did have a part of _**him**_ she thought disdainfully as her eyes narrowed at her brother-in-law, it would still be Hinata's.

"You're sure?" inquired Hiashi.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama confirmed it a few weeks ago and just a few days ago we...we discovered that I'm going to have triplets" replied Hinata, her lips unconsciously beaming as the words crossed her lips.

"THREE?" exclaimed Hanabi. This was too much!

"Yes three, Hanabi-chan. But you can't tell this to anyone until we publicly announce it in April. You both are the first to know outside of Sasuke-kun and I" she said, making sure to hold her sister's gaze as she said it. Hanabi nodded.

 _Three? If her mother had such a hard time with one how..._

The clan leader's eyes observed the woman before him, his eldest daughter. _No, you're less like your mother now. The life of a ninja has seen to that._

"Congratulations" said Hiashi finally, after some hesitation. A true smile passed over his lips. _I know it's not what you wanted, Neji, but your Hinata-sama seems so happy!_

* * *

Sasuke and Hinata had planned to tell Kiba and Shino next but they happened to pass Kakashi as they walked through town.

"Kakashi, would you be able to have a cup of morning tea with us?" asked Sasuke after they had exchanged greetings. A little intrigued by his former student's unusually polite tone, he accepted. _Hinata's having a good effect on him yet!_

Sasuke had chosen as private a table as possible and Kakashi, ever perceptive, soon guessed there was a point to this impromptu meeting. After thinking about it for a few seconds, Kakashi smiled. _That's the only reason I can think of._ So he leaned over and asked Sasuke:

"Is there a little trouble in the bedroom you need my advice on?" he questioned, smiling knowingly.

 _Ever the pervert._ Fighting down a blush (something he found he did a little more regularly now that he was married to Hinata) he whispered back:

"No. Just the opposite in fact. I-we- wanted to inform you of its success"

Kakashi sat back, a little overwhelmed. _I really am getting old._ "You have my congratulations" he finally stated, his gaze drifting to Hinata. She blushed as his eye took in her form, out of paternal interest rather than sexual.

"How far along?" Kakashi was good about keeping his voice low.

"Only seven weeks. It's a little early to tell anyone yet but...we're having triplets" continued Sasuke as excitedly as Kakashi had ever witnessed him speak, obvious pride welling in his chest.

"Well, I can only repeat my congratulations twice more then. Apparently you picked a good partner for your clan reestablishment" he said, winking at the Uchiha.

"You know, if you'd like to know some positions for-"

"Hinata, are you done? Okay good let's go" Sasuke said smoothly, throwing an annoyed glance behind him at his former sensei as he and Hinata exited the tea shop.

 _I don't need her fainting on me, especially in this condition._

* * *

They stopped by the Hokage tower to see if Shikamaru was already on shift. Hinata had insisted they go directly there rather than to the Nara household, even though it was further away.

"Sasuke-kuuuuun" Hinata said, trying to indicate her meaning with her tone. He raised an eyebrow. Her cheeks reddened.

"If he's not on shift yet they might be..."

 _Ah._

He leaned closer to her. "Making some early morning love?" he whispered, smirking.

"Y-Yes" she replied, her eyes refusing to meet his. "Do you like to do that too, Hinata-chan?" he continued, egging her on.

"Sasuke-kun, hush" she said, trying to sound serious. He stood back up to full height, smirking silently. "I could've sworn that you did, -"

"Look, there's Shikamaru!" exclaimed Hinata, relieved as she was able to cut off her husband's sentence. _Very well. But I expect an answer later._

Hinata zoned out during their conversation. She still wasn't feeling the best but wanted to tell everyone today before it was blatantly obvious.

They walked away a few moments later so that Shikamaru could continue his errands.

"His shift ends at 4 and he agreed to meet me for a game right afterward. He invited you along if you and Temari want to make dinner while we play" she nodded, still a little spaced out. She really wasn't feeling that well. She looked for the nearest alleyway, dashed away from Sasuke and promptly threw up behind the dumpster.

Exiting a few minutes later, she shyly peeked at him. "I'm sorry"

"Don't be. Do you need to sit down? Should we go home? Are you okay?"

"Yes but I will want to stay at Kurenai-sensei's for a little bit"

He nodded back, vaguely recalling the red-eyed woman.

* * *

Kurenai was ecstatic upon hearing Hinata's news and launched into the wonders of motherhood and the gross details of pregnancy all at once. Hinata was glad that Sasuke had, very characteristically of him, waited outside the house. She wasn't sure he was ready to hear all this yet.

"And during delivery you really do feel like you're gonna split in half-"

"K-Kurenai-sensei! Enough!" she shouted finally, near fainting.

"Oh. Sorry Hinata! I get a little carried away sometimes; I was just trying to give a little motherly advice" she said, reaching to embrace the other woman for the third time.

"But I really can't believe you're having triplets on your first go! That's incredible! I don't envy you for the delivery though-"

Hinata paled considerably.

"Ooops! But you're strong Hinata! You'll make a wonderful mother" she assured. Hinata started crying. _Ah hormones, how I don't miss those._

* * *

"Oi! What're you doing outside of Kurenai-sensei's house?" a voice questioned as he walked toward the building.

Sasuke had been leaning with one foot against the wall, arms crossed while waiting on Hinata. When he didn't answer immediately, Kiba all but rushed at him.

"Kiba, calm down" chastised Shino. _It's not like he's doing anything wrong, just leaning against a wall._

Sasuke snickered. "Waiting on Hinata of course" he replied, daring Kiba to come at him with Hinata just behind the door. Kiba growled softly in his throat.

"What, does she need an escort everywhere now days?" snapped Kiba, shuffling back a little bit into a more passive stance. _They had told Hinata they were okay with it but seeing him just makes me so mad..._

" As her _husband,_ I think it really is up to me to decide whether Hinata needs an escort or not" he replied, letting the word "husband" roll out with a little more pride.

"Don't you mean it's up to her?" _Man, he's just ready for a fight._

"Kiba, calm down. You know how much you'll upset Hinata and Kurenai" warned Shino again, though his glance toward the Uchiha was quite cool too.

"Yeah, you really don't want to put Hinata in distress, now do you Kiba?" warned Sasuke, a little mockingly. He was sick of being under suspicion all the time.

There was a cold silence for almost a minute until the door opened.

"Oh Kiba! Shino! I am so glad you're both here! Sasuke-kun and I were just going to find you-"

Time seemed to stop as Akamaru approached Hinata's stomach. Surprisingly, the dog and Sasuke shared a glance. _Is he asking for permission? Man, he's got more manners than his owner._

Sasuke gave a slight nod and the dog put his nose against her stomach. Then, a timid one-stroke lick through her clothing. A happy, booming yip soon followed.

"Akamaru, what're you-" Kiba froze. _Akamaru only does that if-_

Intuition ever sharp, Shino was the first to congratulate the Uchihas.

"What else can you tell, Akamaru?" questioned Hinata happily as she stroked the large canine's soft, furry head. He sniffed again. She giggled. Three short barks.

"TRIPLETS?!" exclaimed Kiba.

"Kiba SHHHHHHHHHH" snapped Hinata. "It hasn't been publicly announced yet. I trusted you with this so you have to keep quiet a few more weeks, okay?"

"That'll be easy enough" he replied as Shino let go of his hold over his mouth. Then, he called Akamaru and bounded off.

"We'll be going. It was good to see you Hinata, Sasuke-san, Kurenai-sensei" Shino said politely before bounding off after his teammate. _It's going to take him days to chill out after this._

* * *

Sasuke didn't like Kiba's reaction to her pregnancy but said nothing to her about it. She didn't need to be bothered with it now. The only person they had left to inform of the news early was Naruto and he was out on a mission so they had retired to the Uchiha mansion before they joined the Nara household for dinner.

Hinata had opted to nap and Sasuke laid next to her, wide awake and pondering. _"I'll surely be assigned a mission in the next few months. Things aren't that peaceful and even with over a year passed since the war there's still plenty aftermath to deal with. But Hinata and the babies will be so vulnerable..."_

Unconsciously, his grip on her tightened in as she slumbered and his gaze lowered to her stomach. _He had to devise a plan._

He didn't realize that another hour had passed as he tried out different scenarios in his head, scratched them and strengthened them. _There can't be any weak points..._

 _"_ Sasuke-kun"

The tone finally caught his attention. It was a very sultry purr and his heart rate responded in anticipation.

"What're you thinking about so much?" she queried. She had woken up several minutes ago but her husband hadn't even noticed. He was deep in thought. And she wanted to shake him out of it. Sex would be hard to maneuver soon and she wanted to make the most out of now. She wiggled against him a little bit.

"It's only 1. We have three hours until we have to be at Temari's" she continued, her fingertips lightly skimming the inside of his arm.

He rolled on top of her, pinning her down. "What do you suggest that we do to pass the time?" he asked, remembering her incredulous exclamation not that many months ago when he wanted her in the morning and not just at night time.

She didn't answer but held his gaze. His descent to kiss her was slow but he held, caressed her lips very slowly and intentionally. When she pulled back, she was smiling.

"I-I was thinking we could dust the pillars in the hallway for entertainment, actually" she said, grinning at his response.

"But we'd have to leave the bed for that" he stated obviously, leaning down to nuzzle the juncture of her ear and her neck, something he'd discovered recently Hinata very much liked.

"Oh, am I not _allowed_ to leave the bed?" she asked, feigning innocence and pushing against his pinning playfully.

"No" it was curt and he bit down on her neck to emphasize that she had captured his attention.

"Why ever not?" she asked, finally weaseling out of his hold and wrapping her arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. Sasuke adjusted, letting his still-clothed erection settle on the juncture of her legs. He enjoyed the gasp, the blush and the little-panting response he received.

"Is that a good enough answer?" he whispered, hands slipping to unzip her jacket and reveal the black-netted torso and abdomen to him. The mesh was already stretching a tiny bit at the waist.

An emphatic nod, followed by a whine and an urge for him to continue. And he was lost in her world... what was becoming _their_ world. _Oh Hinata..._

* * *

Their had been little talk over the game of Shogi. It was a nice day outside for March so Sasuke and Shikamaru were situated under the awning of the Nara household.

"How was the honeymoon?" inquired Sasuke as he moved his piece into a seemingly innocent position.

A small smirk. "Not so troublesome" he replied, eyes not moving from the board as he pondered Sasuke's strategy.

"That good huh?" continued the Uchiha, grinning at the slight upturn of his opponent's lips. No response as Shikamaru moved his piece accordingly.

"But I bet you missed using the brain in your head, yeah?"

Finally a full grin. "Didn't know you liked troublesome things like guy talk. But no, Temari-chan and I played strategic games quite a lot actually"

The shadow master's expression told Sasuke there was more than he was saying but he didn't push. "I should've guessed. Is she a good strategist?"

Two more moves and Sasuke would have him beat.

"The best Suna has. But, thankfully for me, I'm usually able to out maneuver her by a small margin. That way I didn't have to take the time to unfasten her clothing myself. It's so troublesome" he stated, plopping down his piece triumphantly. _Strip Strategy. Should've known._

The Uchiha blinked at the board. "Tch. Good game" he said, waving his hand dismissively.

Shikamaru chuckled, resetting the board.

"Actually, there's something I wanted to mention to you" Sasuke said, a little unsure of how to convey the news. _Does he even care about this?_

Shikamaru stopped, waiting patiently.

"Hinata is pregnant" he stated, unsure why he wanted to share this information.

"Really? That's really troublesome but also really great!" exclaimed Shikamaru. He was genuinely happy for the other man.

"With triplets"

 _Wow._ "That's three times as troublesome but also three times as great!" Shikamaru was not the best at expressing things. "Man, this really is unexpected! You'd told me that you and Hinata were going to start trying after the beginning of the year but I never imagined..."

"Yeah. Neither did we. She's just past two months along and I'm terrified" the last two words were so unexpected that both men sat in stunned silence for almost a full five minutes. _I didn't mean to say that! Why did I say that? I'm Sasuke Uchiha; I'm never scared._

Finally, Shikamaru stretched. "I think that's normal, Sasuke. Especially with a first pregnancy and an two extra surprises as well. If my old man were here, he'd have some advice for you but I don't really have anything to say other than Hinata's in this with her whole heart and that's more than 1,000 "What-to-Expect-Manuels" he said, rubbing the back of his apologetically. He really wished he had better advice.

Sasuke didn't reply but his smirk told Shikamaru his reassurance had been somewhat helpful.

* * *

Meanwhile, as Temari and Hinata had split up tasks to make dinner, Hinata blurted out: "I'm pregnant" before they could even set the mixing bowls down. She'd intended to be a little more subtle but it was growing more obvious every day and without other things to occupy her mind, Temari's sharp observation would probably guess eventually.

But she hadn't had the time to notice yet. "WHAT?" Temari exclaimed. They'd only just started trying!

"Tell me everything. The men can wait a little longer for their dinner"

"I-I...It was so sudden. Sasuke-kun was only home one night and I never thought..."

And so she launched into explanation, finally taking a deep breath. Temari was surprised, elated, and a little worried. _Sasuke doesn't seem to have readjusted socially. What if-_

"And then we discovered recently that instead of one baby, it's three. Triplets!" exclaimed Hinata, letting the final surprise rush over her friend.

Having expected "two" because of the history of twins in Hinata's line, Temari's mouth fell open.

"Hinata! That's so awesome! But...aren't you..." she didn't seem to know how to finish her expression.

"Scared?" inquired the other woman knowingly. This was the first time Temari was a little sheepish in her inquiries.

"It's a little overwhelming. Triplet pregnancies come with a lot of increased risks and caring for three of the same age won't be easy. Or any where near easy. But I'm not really scared. I helped with Hanabi when she was little because my mother was always so sick and I sometimes babysat for my family's children when there was a mass clan meeting or mass clan business trip. It was the only thing father thought I was good at!" Hinata said, giggling. Temari relaxed a little.

"We were going to wait until the end of this month but I'm already a little heavy looking. When I pass the third month mark and the risk of miscarriage decreases, we will be announcing it publicly!"

"Wow..three little Uchiha babies!" Temari said, letting the news wash over her and a smile come over her face. "Now you'll be able to give me tips if I'm ever pregnant" she said, winking.

"Of course!"

Temari wanted to ask about Sasuke's reaction to the news but the sliding screen alerted the two women that their husbands were reentering the house.

"Oi! Why isn't there anything cooking?" inquired Shikamaru as his eyes slid to his wife.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Shikamaru! We started talking about-" she looked questioningly at Hinata.

"He knows" stated Sasuke, grinning.

"-about babies and other things. I didn't realize you two would be done quite so soon" she said. It couldn't have been more than thirty minutes.

"He isn't that difficult of an opponent...on the strategy board anyway" he said, throwing a smirk back at the Uchiha. Sasuke took the teasing lightly, shifting to lean against the wall as he smirked in return.

"Oh well. Now I won't have to do the troublesome dishes. Let's go out and celebrate!"

* * *

I know, I know. This is a weird place to end a chapter! But it's kinda the best place! Happy Wintering everyone! (And if you aren't somewhere it's 11 degrees, even more happy to you! ;)

-Pi-chan! :)


	14. Chapter 14

They finally settled on the restaurant Sasuke and Hinata had eaten at on their first anniversary. Neither couple had reservations but, being a Tuesday evening and it being a fairly new and expensive restaurant, the place was fairly slow; the glances from both Sasuke and Temari had also convinced the host pretty quickly.

"Woah. You Uchihas don't kid around when it comes to celebrating" commented Shikamaru, his sharp eyes analyzing the indoor architecture and moldings.

If the staff had been nervous the night of Sasuke and Hinata's anniversary, the added presence of the sister of the Kazekage and her no-mistakes reputation made it almost impossible for the waiter's knees to stop knocking as he took their drink orders. This nervousness amused both couples. Shikamaru even bothered to whisper "careful, she bites" as the waiter set a water glass in front of Temari. The couples chuckled as he quickly bolted back into the kitchen, giving them a few more minutes to order.

The evening was pleasant until, about mid-way through the meal, Hinata suddenly excused herself to the bathroom and barely opened the door before the contents of her stomach covered the bathroom floor. _I thought if I went with light salad and tsukemono this wouldn't happen!_ Some dry heaves followed. And then she scrambled to the toilet where Temari, who had bolted after her, held her friend's hair during her two remaining vomiting episodes. Finally, she exhaled and leaned against the side of the stall. _Thankfully I sat on the outside of the booth!_ thought Hinata as her mind cleared a little. She couldn't imagine having thrown up in the middle of the table.

Terror had overtaken the staff. Not so much at the sight of a woman throwing up but out of fear for her husband's reaction. If their food had made her sick...

"Waiter!" the Uchiha called. As slowly as could be considered polite, the cringing waiter appeared with the rest of the staff piled behind the kitchen's swinging door, awaiting his fate.

"Yes, sirl?" the waiter said quietly.

"Bring me the bill. My wife and I are finished but please continue taking care of our friends" he said, gesturing to Temari and Shikamaru. The waiter waited for the worst.

"WHAT are you waiting for?" snapped the Sasuke, raising his voice only slightly.

"N-Nothing! Right away sir!" he replied, scurrying from his place.

Hinata was extremely embarrassed and refused to leave the restroom until Sasuke came to walk her out. No words were spoken until they were several paces away from the restaurant and Sasuke noticed tears lightly falling from his wife's face.

"I-I'm sorry" she said. "I r-ruined everyone's fun" she continued, downcast. He gripped her hand.

"Stop, it's not like you planned it or could help it" he said, pointedly glancing at her. "Temari and Shikamaru understand"

Her tears tried and she squeezed his hand back lightly. "At least the salad was good"

"While it was in your stomach, anyway" he replied, sneaking a quick peck on her cheek.

"It's really my fault you're throwing up anyway so blame it all on me" he said, winking at her.

She found that she couldn't deny that fact.

* * *

Sasuke had waited the entire spar for this, even letting Naruto corner him to make this moment all the sweeter.

His friend was rushing toward him with a full-force punch ready and aimed. _I have to time this perfectly..._ THERE!

"You don't want to leave Hinata with an injured husband who is unable to aid her during pregnancy, do you?"

He watched the blond's face. Fury. The words rushing over his ear drums. Recognition. Understanding. Distraction. _Now!_

Sasuke moved an inch out of the way, allowing Naruto's fist to barely brush his clothing. Instead, he careened into the hillside behind them, not emerging for several minutes. When he finally came out, he was spitting dirt out of his mouth and vehemently brushing grass out of his hair.

"What a very teme-ish way to tell me, Sasuke" he spat, teeth a little browned by the earth.

"You serious?" he asked, meeting the Uchiha's eye.

"Of course"

A beat of silence. Naruto's signature wide grin though perhaps not as much sparkle as usual behind his eyes. "Congrats man! Boy or girl?"

Sasuke's head turned toward the side. "We don't know yet but let's just say that you should be glad of the fact that you can make at least three clones" he said as his hands reached into his pockets and he strode away so that Naruto didn't see him smile.

"OI! WAIT SASUKE! THREEE?"

"SASUKEEEEE TEEMMEEEEEEEEE"

But the Uchiha was gone.

* * *

The bell rang on the clerk's door early in the morning of April 18th. It was only 5:07a.m. Someone must have urgent news to be posted today.

"Hello!" greeted the middle aged man cheerfully, stopping short when his eyes landed on the newcomer. _I wish Hinata had felt well enough to come with me. She's much better at dealing with the public. And I wanted to make this announcement together..._

"Good morning" the man said curtly with as much cordiality as he could muster.

"Wh-what brings you here, Mr. Uchiha?" he stammered.

"I would like to post an announcement" he responded, handing the clerk an envelope with the announcement Hinata had written and the money to pay for the words. The clerk scanned a few lines and surprised Sasuke by tears forming the corners of his eyes.

"I'm very happy for you, sir! Indeed very happy!" he exclaimed, beginning the post immediately. Unused to such a display of emotion, Sasuke remained silent.

"I'm sorry! To you I must be a blubbering old fool. But you see, I posted your and your brother's own birth announcements. And I posted the news of that tragic incident. It's just...to see such a fine clan finally regaining strength just-" he trailed off, jerking his head away. If he wasn't careful, he'd stain the paper.

Sasuke's countenance remained unchanged but inside he was stunned. _To think that someone would care about the Uchiha clan._

Suddenly, the man was going past him on his way to post the announcement. Unthinking, Sasuke's arm shot out to stop the man by his shoulder. He felt the man tense and shake, a feeling Sasuke had felt many times before from his terrified enemies.

"Thank you" he said simply before turning and walking out the door ahead of the man, noting his still frightened look as he walked away.

 _Yes, Hinata is much better at these things than I am._

* * *

Sasuke was lazily suckling Hinata's left nipple as the late morning warmth filled the room, his hand firmly caressing her growing belly when the summons came to their front door.

His insides jerked as he read it and then he gave it to Hinata, still naked from their steamy early morning session.

This scouting mission's range was incredibly long, to the very edges of Lightening country with the possibility of passing into Snow country. _And it's a damn S-rank._

"I won't be back until June at least" he said, watching her gaze very carefully. _Sai...Lee...Shikamaru._ The paper slid out of her hands; he took her hands in his own, holding her very close and slowly rocking her back and forth. She understood and gripped him tightly. _At least he doesn't have to leave until tomorrow morning..._

 _"_ I have some errands to take care of in town but they shouldn't take long" he said, moving back from her as he bent to peck her lips and then absorb her engorging form with his eyes. She nodded. _He probably needs to restock on weapons..._

He gave her one last head-to-toe scan before turning to head out of the room. "Don't bother putting your clothes back on" he called over his shoulder as he exited the master bedroom.

He almost heard her blush from the other side of the door. _Now to summon the others..._

* * *

Sasuke sat on the bridge, patiently waiting.

Kiba bounded up, demanding the meaning of this summons almost immediately.

"I don't like to explain myself three times. Patience" he said, crossing his arms. Shino arrived not five minutes later and then Naruto not too long after him.

"What's this all about, Sasuke?" asked Naruto immediately.

"Now that you're all here, I'll explain. I have been sent on a mission, beginning tomorrow morning. Shikamaru, Sai and Lee are to accompany me. We'll be gone until June at least"

A low whistle from Kiba. "That's a long time"

Sasuke nodded. "Hinata's pregnancy impedes her ability to wield and sense chakra; she is two weeks past the third month mark and already has trouble sensing when I enter the house, though her Byakugan ability remains unhindered. But by the end of June, she will be past the fifth month mark. At that time, she will be as defenseless as a civilian woman."

The other three startled a little.

"I didn't realize that pregnancy..."

"WHAT?"

"That is troubling indeed. She will be very vulnerable to attack."

Sasuke nodded again. "She will be. Having already planned this out some, I summoned you all because I know each of you cares about Hinata immensely/ I'm hoping you all will add to my plans of defense. Even inside Konoha, I must take precaution with the Sharingan and Hinata's life which are now tied together. You all can probably imagine that there's a chance some outsiders might even risk attacking Konoha itself for the possession or destruction of the Sharingan."

Slowly, he confided his plans to them. They followed with ease, both Naruto and Kiba focusing in, and even Kiba said little.

"That's well thought out Sasuke. But what can we do?"

"I want you to check on her every time you're available and try to make sure she is escorted every time she leaves the house. Tsunade said that movement for her will be very difficult as she approaches the end of her pregnancy so she may not go out much by July. Also, add guards if you can" he replied simply.

"I'm in Konoha more often than not nowadays so I should be able to be there often and leave clones" said Naruto. "Count on me!"

"I'll ask mom if we can spare a couple dogs to stake out your mansion in shifts"

"I can certainly spare some useful insects"

Sasuke's true grin stunned them all. "Thank you all very much, I very much appreciate this. I was confident of every single one of your responses" he said, stunning them further.

They laid out a few more details and hammered out intricacies before parting ways. Sasuke was the first to leave, bounding in the direction of the Uchiha mansion.

The other three stared after him in slight bewilderment. The Uchiha normally _never_ asked for help with anything. Naruto was jubilant. _He's becoming a part of the village again!_

Kiba was speechless. _He might really care about Hinata..._

Shino was pleased. _"He's...in love with her!"_

* * *

Never before had Sasuke had to drag himself to a mission with as much willpower as early this morning. Sasuke was thankful Hinata had been feeling well yesterday and in the mood for much lovemaking and much play and many more sweet nothings but he was also groaning because those things made it harder to leave. _When did I get so attached?_

Sasuke pondered this as he sat on the side of the bed, fully dressed in mission gear, his sword on his lap. Yet, he was pulling some hair out of his sleeping wife's face, grateful for every breath she took. Strange how someone could come to mean so much in such a short amount of time, someone he _should_ consider weak. Someone that _should_ be his opposite.

Several of his favorite of her facial expressions flashed across his mind.

Above him with cherry blossoms in the background.

The shy smile when he initiated sex.

The laughter when he attempted cooking.

The intense gaze, complemented by a blush, when she wanted him inside her.

 _Gradually, that's when_ he finally concluded from his musings.

Hinata faintly heard the slight ring of a sheathing sword and turned away from the sound in her sleep.

* * *

Timidly, Hinata stepped out of the house. She hadn't left since Sasuke posted the announcement two days ago but she needed more vegetables and it was a lovely April day whereas the two before had been rainy.

Unbeknownst to her, reptilian eyes were watching her intently. His charge had stayed put since he had come on duty but now apparently was stirring. The dog in the woods noticed this too and trotted, hidden in the line of trees, along the woman's path until she was out of the snake's line of sight.

Hinata was blushing before she got into town. She was wearing a lavender kimono that showed her rounding figure nicely. So far, hefting an extra 18.7 pounds around wasn't all that bad except she did feel a little dizzy and off balance some of the time. She hummed softly as she entered town. As she passed the academy and saw children out at play, her heart soared. Rubbing her belly subconsciously, she thought _you three will be out there one day. Probably sooner than I'd wish._

Her trip was fairly uneventful, though Kiba seemed to show up out of nowhere as she browsed the heads of lettuce at the market.

"Whatcha out doing, Hinata?"

"Just restocking on groceries. And I am going to Temari's later to see if she wants to go shopping with me"

"Cool. Mind if I hang around with you until you go to Temari's? Akamaru's with his mate and Mom's been kinda...heh snappy" he said, rubbing the back of his head.

"No, of course not!" she replied, elated that he seemed more open to her.

"The babies are doing okay?"

"I haven't had my checkup this week yet but yes, as far as I know" she replied, blush reappearing as Kiba's eyes landed on her stomach.

"That's a good color on you" he said awkwardly, jerking his gaze away from her. She laughed. "Thanks Kiba but it really is okay. I do look bigger than I did"

He nodded off-handedly. _Lucky Shino out on a mission too and doesn't have to deal with this awkwardness._

But Kiba was glad he was present. Shino was out on some special assignment with Ino and Naruto and Sakura were gone too, if only for a few days. _But she'll be safe with Temari so I'll leave her then._

* * *

"Sure, Hinata! You'll need maternity clothes right?" she said, glad to have someone to talk to and also help her friend. She missed Shikamaru like crazy (not that she'd ever admit it) but knew Hinata could empathize since her Sasuke was on the same mission.

Upon entering the maternity store (Kiba scampered away pretty fast when he saw their destination) Hinata felt herself blush again.

"What is it Hinata?"

She eyed Temari with a small grin. "It's just...I never thought **_I_** would be the one to need these things. Silly I know"

Temari shook her head and pulled Hinata toward the maternity bras. "Well you do" she said, softly patting her friend's belly. "So let's get to it!"

Hinata laughed. "I don't think you'll ever slow down, Temari-chan, not even when it's your turn to b-be pregnant!"

Temari smirked. "That won't be for a while. We've only been married almost two months. But I'm sure Yoshino will be bugging me about it soon enough" she said, sighing.

The day went well. Hinata found three maternity outfits that would fit as well as two bras.

"Do you want to get...whatever you get...for babies too?" inquired Temari as they checked out.

"Not yet. Sasuke and I have decided that we aren't going to find out the gender until they're born"

"How's he doing with all of this, by the way?" asked Temari a little worriedly as they exited the store and headed to tea.

"He's great! The morning after I told him he would barely let me walk anywhere by myself. And he tried to hide the book for expectant fathers that Tsunade gave him but I found out about it. Strangely enough, I can tell he's even a little nervous."

"That's good" said Temari, relieved. _That means he cares._

* * *

Before Hinata knew it, the transition from spring to summer began. Never leaving the village was a little bit of a strain on her. She hadn't realized how much she relished breaking through the gate on the way out to a mission until now. And she had quite a while to go!

"But there wouldn't be any hopping through trees with you three, would there?" she chuckled as she rubbed her belly on her way to her weekly checkup. _I cannot believe I'm on the 18th week already_ she thought. Until she reached the stairs. _Then again, maybe I can._ Last week she'd been plus 25, normal for triplets but still a little straining.

"Oi! Let me help you Hinata!" a voice called. Before she could blink, she was in someone's arms and then set at the top of the stairs.

"O-Oh! Th-thank you Naruto" she said, smiling and catching her breath a little. Today she had on her light pink maternity outfit (with extra-stretchy black khakis) and for the first time Naruto's gaze seemed to take in her stomach.

"W-wow Hinata!" he said, eyes widening. He didn't know what to say. _Even pregnancy looks beautiful on you..._

A huge grin. "Yeah, I know. And I could still gain a LOT more!" she said, turning to walk inside.

"H-hey! I have to see granny Tsunade anyway so let me escort you!" he said joyfully, offering his arm to Hinata.

"Oh, thank you!" she returned, grabbing it instantly. She had been feeling a little woozy still and missed having Sasuke's arm.

"Say, hasn't Sasuke been gone a while?" Naruto said suddenly as they walked down the corridor.

"Y-yes. Almost a month. And I don't expect him back for another month at least" she said, allowing the ending of her statement to end with a sigh.

 _She really misses him._

Naruto didn't have time to reply before they reached Tsunade's door.

"I'll go first Hinata; it'll only take a minute" he said before going in and shutting the door behind him.

True to his word, he was out in less than five minutes.

"Go on in Hinata. Would you like me to come with you?" he offered.

A faint blush. "No, Naruto, it wouldn't r-really be appropriate" she said as she promptly shut the door in his face.

He thought for a minute. _Why wouldn't...oh._

Meanwhile, Tsunade was beaming inside. _"_ You're doing marvelously Hinata!" she exclaimed.

"But you aren't feeling them move yet?" she asked. Hinata shook her head.

"Well, it'll be happening pretty soon then with three in there!" she exclaimed again, carefully rechecking each baby's heartbeat.

 _Sure enough, three._

Tsunade sighed in relief as she watched Hinata leave.

* * *

Hinata, Temari, and Tenten were sitting in Hinata's living room with decorations and bits and bobs of all kind strewn everywhere.

"I really want to thank you guys again for helping me with the decorations!" exclaimed Tenten. All three of their men were out on the same mission and it was comforting to be with these ladies. Lee and Tenten's wedding had been pushed to July first in order to accommodate the mission.

"No problem!" said Temari, attempting an origami crane again. She wasn't so good at the more "delicate" arts but they were passable.

"Especially you Hinata!"

"I haven't got anything else to do, Tenten-chan!" she said, as small smile on her lips as she painted some ceramic bowls.

"And besides, it's really nice not being alone in the house..." she said, sighing for about the fourth time that hour.

"They'll be back soon. But yeah, I really miss Lee too" she said, echoing Hinata's sigh.

"Come on girls! They're probably enjoying their all-guy mission. Though I don't know how Sai will do with the other three...

* * *

Surrounded by a raging blizzard, Sai, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Lee were huddled in a cave on the very edge of Snow country.

"So no hard feelings about my Ino-chan having once wanted to have frantic, wild sex with you, right Sasuke-san?"

Suddenly, the aura in the cave was veritably colder than the blizzard and blinding snow outside.

Sasuke fixed him with a glare that would have chased a polar bear away.

"Especially now that you've quite obviously enjoyed such sport with your wife and she's soon going to be ripe and plump with the fruit of-"

Shikamaru and Lee's hands simultaneously clamped over Sai's mouth. Sasuke's hands were gripping the ground, pulling up chunks of the cold, hard dirt.

There were several beats of silence. "I'll take the next lookout. Lee, I'll wake you in four hours" Sasuke said, disappearing into the blinding white world.

Shikamaru exhaled. "That was close"

Sai was confused. Perhaps he hadn't "cleared the air" properly as he had read in the book Ino gave him.

* * *

Summer was upon them and Hinata stepped out of the house, inhaling the beautiful scent on the warm wind. Her yellow maternity dress swirled around her.

Then she saw him. Her husband, coming toward her up the walkway. Overcome with joy, she called to him and waddled as fast as she could. But something was wrong. As he looked up at her, blood gushed from his mouth and she realized that nearly half his face was gone.

The shock woke her up immediately, heart stampeding like a herd of elephants. _Just a dream just a dream just a dream_ she chanted, reaching down to the kick she felt on her right side. She patted it. "It's okay. I know daddy's okay" she whispered softly. She began a lullaby and the tune was nearly over before she realized that tears were streaming down her face. _I don't want to go through this alone._

Despite the effort she knew it would take, Hinata hefted herself into a sitting position and then slowly into a standing position. _I'm officially at 30 pounds I bet._

She splashed some cold water on her face and quietly crept downstairs. _I can't stay in here._

Opening the front door, she stepped out into the warm mid-June night air. Not glancing at the walkway that came toward the mansion she strode as fast as she could out into the field on her right, settling on the ground to gaze up at the stars. _Sasuke Sasuke please come back. I want you here for this; I don't want to do this alone!_

She was crying again and the moon beams made her teardrops glisten on the grass. The children within her stirred and proceeded to play an unsupervised game of kickball. Her crying turned to laughing.

"Thanks" she whispered, leaning to look back up at the larger-than-average moon.

The large snake drew nearer to her. _A strange one master chose as mate indeed ssssss..._

He had been woken abruptly by her scream, afraid something was wrong. But here she was, making herself as vulnerable as could be. He was still in stealth mode and blended perfectly into the background. Sasuke-sama needed to return soon, though, because it was getting too hot for him to stay outside, even in the shade of the house's awnings.

"Who's there?" she suddenly questioned, standing as quickly as she could. _How did she sense me?_ the snake wondered, trying to decide whether or not to reveal himself.

He stayed still. Her gaze was fixed directly on his forehead. Deciding, he disbanded his cloaking mode, forgetting that his size was somewhat alarming.

"Ssss it's okay, mistress Hinata. I ssserve Sasuke-sama and I have been guarding you since the day he left" he said immediately, afraid to frighten her.

"I didn't think it was a malevolent presence" she stated, walking over to him. _She's not afraid?_

As she drew nearer he realized she wasn't shaking at all. She even reached out to pat him on the tip of his face.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry. I had a nightmare" she said, leaning to look behind him at his length.

"Goodness! How long are you? Did Sasuke think an army would be after me?"

The snake was silent. "Isn't it getting a little hot out here for you?" she asked.

He was silent still.

"Y-You can stay in the house if you want. Tell me how long you are"

He told her reluctantly.

"You should fit down stairs if you spread out along the wall. That way you can be wary of all the downstairs windows at once and still be obedient to Sasuke-kun" she said, heading toward the front door.

The snake didn't really know what to do. The house would be cooler. And people normally weren't very welcoming to his kind, finding them creepy.

Realizing she left the front door open, he followed her and did as she had suggested, slithering around the downstairs until his head was at the front door and his tail was at the foot of the stairs to the second floor.

"Here" she said, setting a plate of raw meat in front of him. "It's not much; I will get more tomorrow but it's probably better than what you've been scavenging. I wish Sasuke-kun had just told me" she said, sighing as she thought of him again. She patted the large snake on the head and carefully maneuvered her way back to bed.

* * *

The last week of June was just beginning, and Hinata was nearing the end of her second trimester when she was startled awake by glass breaking on the second floor. And then there was an alarmed howl that came from the woods behind her house. The doorknob on the bedroom jiggled. Then stopped. Then the jiggling was a little rougher and someone banged on the outside of the door. A hiss. A surprised, moaning gasp. Then the sound of bodies dropping to the floor.

"Mistressssss Hinata?" she heard Ahota (as she had learned the snake was called) inquire. She took a deep breath and made it to the door as quickly as she could. Three men she didn't recognized were dead in the second floor hallway. One was just in front of the door, probably the one who had knocked. Ahota had obviously gotten him first; his throat was ripped open and she could see his air supply had been nearly severed in two. The other one was...or what was left of him...was splattered against the wall opposite the door. Ahota had ripped him in two big pieces and then those into several more. _He was probably just behind the other man and would've made the fatal blow, jumping over him and into the bedroom._

The third man and probably the last killed was stuck halfway in and halfway out the window. He had obviously had more warning time but with Ahota still invisible he hadn't known where to run and she could see a good portion of his internal organs sitting atop the long shard of glass the snake had thrown him down on.

Hinata shook herself, realizing she had been standing still almost a minute while she assessed the situation. "Ahota, are you hurt?" she asked quickly.

"Sssssome" he replied, almost sheepishly coming out of camouflage mode. Hinata turned the hall light on and knelt to take inventory of his wounds.

"You have several lacerations on your side and a pretty deep cut on your forehead but you'll be okay. They couldn't have been very high level if they couldn't use elemental jutsu that fast" she surmised, her hand pressed flat against the wall to help her back into standing position. She grimaced at the ghastly scene in her hallway.

"Stay here" she commanded and left. She returned, waddling with a box in her hand.

"Hold still" she said and began doctoring his wounds. He resisted. "It's the least I can do. You saved me, Ahota!" she said, firmly holding him in place because he was afraid to thrash and knock her over.

She had just finished the cut on his head and had just kissed Ahota's nose (if a snake could blush, this would've been the time) when another figure rushed through the window.

Ahota immediately encircled Hinata, protectively coiling around her until she couldn't even see over him anymore.

"Sorry sorry, not the best idea. Easy snakey" a familiar voice said.

"Kiba!" she shouted. Having recognized the chakra as one Sasuke-sama had given him as "safe", Ahota backed down and released the Uchiha lady.

"Sheesh" said Kiba, looking around. "Good work, snakey" he complimented.

"They can't be more than chuunin" said Hinata. She knelt to the one in front of her bedroom door. His hair was a fairer blond than Naruto's and he didn't look older than fifteen.

"Oi oi Hinata, don't worry about it. I'll have this cleaned up soon" he said.

"W-wait! Shouldn't we let the Hokage see this first?" she said, insisting firmly when Kiba answered.

"Please?" she said.

"Okay. I'll go risk my life and wake her" said Kiba, bounding off toward the Hokage tower.

She settled by Ahota, his head gently resting over her knees. Adrenaline was still pumping through her veins ten minutes later when the blonde appeared.

"Thank goodness you're alright" said Tsunade, bending to embrace Hinata while she was still on the floor.

"You weren't touched were you?" she said, suddenly noticing the snake in her lap and backing up a little bit.

"N-No. Just startled is all. But we're fine" she said, patting rubbing her belly.

"They're kicking pretty strongly, huh?" Tsunade said, feeling one against her hand.

Hinata nodded and Tsunade stood once more to survey the damage. She let out a low whistle.

"I'll have to take statements so we don't have another Cloud-Hyuuga fiasco. That's why you wanted me here now, right Hinata?"

She nodded.

Tsunade took detailed notes of the scene and Kiba helped her lay each one out for transport to her private autopsy room.

"The don't wear forehead protectors. This might be a hired hit" she said.

"Two of these are barely passed being boys" she continued aloud, noting the one with the almost-missing throat and the other one who had been skewered by the shard of glass.

"But this one here" she said as she gestured to the meat-pile that remained of the second guy "had seen some rough days with an even rougher crowd" she conjectured.

"Okay now Hinata tell me what happened and then I'll want the snake's story too" she said, writing down everything each said.

"I don't think we'll have any trouble from anyone" Tsunade stated as she finished writing her notes. "I'll have the transport team over here first thing in the morning. I'm sorry to leave them but I need them intact for examination" she said. As they were leaving, Naruto showed up.

"I thought something was odd. What happ-" he said, eyes falling on the three bodies on the floor and in the same instant bolting up in search of raven-hair and white eyes. When they landed on her, looking worn but alive, the entirety of his insides de-constricted.

"I've sorta been wanting to try out that fancy couch" he said smoothly. "Mind if I stay over?"

Hinata blinked. "Sure, I'll bring a pillow and a blanket out" she said, leaving to retrieve the objects. _I'll be more relieved with someone else being here anyway, especially since Ahota's injured._

"I'm leaving three clones in this hallway. They'll wake me instantly if anything happens" assured Naruto as he accepted the blankets from Hinata and headed downstairs. Ahota curled around the master bed with his tail protruding into the hall.

"Goodnight Hinata" called Kiba, bounding out of the window. Tsunade had left a few minutes before to write down instructions for the body transport team, trying to not forget and tell them not to be afraid of the large snake. She also left a note on the window-makers door to hurriedly replace three upstairs hall windows at the Uchiha mansion.

As Hinata snuggled back into bed, babies squirming inside her stomach, it took her another hour to fall asleep.

 _What was such an inexperienced team after?_

 _Who had sent them?_

 _When was Sasuke coming home...?_

* * *

DUN DUN DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! A widdy-bit shorter than the others but you'll forgive me, yes? *big eyes with pools of the purest diamonds shimmering in them*

-Pi-chan! :)


	15. Chapter 15

Okay. So, sorry for the delay. My laptop's hard drive crashed and it's just been a really, really REALLY long and frustrating few weeks since then. (especially since most of my documents on Doc Manager timed out and now I have to rewrite a ton of stuff). I had the first part of this written already but haven't been able to get the last part down until just now. Don't worry if you think it's going slow, we're about to pick it up! I also hope I don't get writer's block!

Enjoy!

* * *

Home. In just a few hours, he would be home.

"We'll probably be there just before dawn" commented Shikamaru, masking his relief. He and Sasuke were supporting an unconscious Lee while Sai ran beside them. Thankfully, his chakra depletion wasn't quite as severe as Lee's and he only had a dislocated shoulder.

"If we rest a little while, I think I can manage a bird big enough to carry us back" Sai said after another half hour of silence.

It was up to Shikamaru since he was leader on this mission. He thought for a few seconds. They still had at least three hours to go. He looked at Sasuke.

"I can go on, Shikamaru, but if everyone else needs a rest we'd better go with Sai's suggestion" he said, not taking his eyes off the trees in front of him.

"Let's rest then" he decided and they stopped immediately, laying Lee out while Sasuke took watch.

He turned his face toward Konoha, a warm summer breeze ruffling his hair and clothing. As he inhaled, he could almost scent his wife on the wind.

* * *

This mission debriefing was taking forever. Sasuke barely restrained an eye roll. Everyone was fine and Lee's chakra depletion would be fixed before his impending wedding at the end of the week. Everything was fine so why couldn't they just leave? How could Shikamaru stand so calmly and so attentively listen to the Hokage's every word? Didn't he want to be home with his wife too?

"Sasuke. I have a few words for you but must speak with Shikamaru first. Please step outside the door. You'll be home in just a few minutes" she said knowingly. Sasuke complied, his hands forming fists as he resisted the urge to bolt home.

However, true to her word, it was barely two minutes before the door opened once more. But Sasuke didn't walk himself in; Shikamaru's shadow did.

He growled. _What was the meaning of this? If she thinks I'll be held..._

"Easy Sasuke. I just want to have you restrained because you don't like to be still and listen very well. Three thugs broke into your two nights ago on Monday night-"

Her words faded. His eyes glowed red.

"Shizune should be finished with their autopsies soon. Sasuke, Hinata is fine. She was a little shaken up but she is completely stable and your babies are very healthy"

He didn't visibly relax.

"Your snake did away with them all and we've been keeping closer watch since. Naruto, Kakashi, Kiba and Shino have been rotating sleeping downstairs-"

"May I go now, Hokage-sama?" asked Sasuke as calmly as possible. Hinata could tell him all this herself.

The blonde fixed him with a hard stare. "I just wanted you to know that you're not alone in caring about her and wanted to apprise you of the situation. Very well, you're dismissed."

The shadow released and there was barely a flicker of movement before Shikamaru and Tsunade were alone in the room. The latter let out a long sigh.

"I'm sure you want to go home too, Shikamaru. You're dismissed as well"

A slow nod and then the genius strode out the door.

"Men" groaned Tsunade as she gulped down an early morning sake.

* * *

Hinata, now heavily pregnant, was often awakened early by a game of soccer going on in her belly. Thus, she had already been awake half an hour when a young Chuunin girl, looking a little nervous as she knocked on the large door, to tell her that Sasuke's mission had returned and he would be home shortly.

She finished the breakfast she was making and opened the front door to watch for him, leaning against the door frame and rubbing her swollen abdomen through her bright, sunset-orange maternity dress while humming a soft tune. It seemed like forever, these last few minutes before he came into view, even longer than the months he'd been gone. A quick flash of Sharingan to make sure there were no witnesses. And Sasuke started to run toward her, still reaching her far too slow for him to be satisfied, even with his speed.

He was in front of her and all the weary worry, all the tears and missing each other was swallowed by the thick silence between them as they just gazed at one another, grateful for each breath the other took. Finally, she greeted him with a small "hi." He went to hug her and seemed a little mystified when he was blocked from doing so. Confused, he gazed down and made a funny little jump backward.

She giggled. "Yes, I suppose you haven't seen me recently"

Eyes still wide, he shook his head. When he regained his senses, he asked "why are you up so early, Hinata-chan?"

A blush he'd been dying to see. "I-I...The babies wake me up sometimes" she said a little sheepishly. An eyebrow raised in confusion. She grabbed both of his hands and pulled them so that his palms caressed her stomach.

His eyes weren't torn from hers until a few moments later, when a sound thrust knocked against one of his palms.

"Woah" he exhaled, heart thumping as he knelt to investigate her stomach. Still stoic, he pressed his cheek against her belly curiously. Another jab. His mind was a little discombobulated. It hit him like a train. They're living, breathing, _moving_ beings in there that belong to him, share his blood. _The Uchiha clan will live._

And just like that, he was crying again. Hinata had thought it a privilege to witness him cry once but she never thought she'd see it again. She held the back of his head, moving them more inside so she could shut the front door and give him some privacy.

As she stroked his hair she was silent, letting her thoughts envelope her. And, though she wouldn't admit it, relief flooded her. _He really does care._

A few minutes later, a voice rang throughout the downstairs.

"Hinata-ssama, is everything okay?"

Ahota hadn't sensed anything amiss but she had been gone several minutes.

"Everything is fine, Ahota" replied Sasuke, still attempting to clear his throat after his brief tears.

"Sasuke-ssama!" exclaimed Ahota as he rounded the corner.

"Couldn't even hide from a pregnant woman with no chakra? Remind me of your usefulness?" he said, chuckling as he gently placed his palm on the snake's head.

"You've done well. I will return you to your normal size and replace the protective charm"

"That can wait SSasuke-sama. You're surely tired from your mission"

"We flew back. I rested the last few hours. Hinata, wait for me in our bedroom" he said, squeezing her hand one last time before taking the snake into the woods out back. She obeyed without thinking, since she was so glad to see him. "Thanks, Ahota-kun" she said, patting the snake before making the laboring, awkward-waddle up the stairs.

As Hinata waited, she barely held back the storm of emotions inside her. Did he want sex? She wasn't sure she could maneuver very well anymore. And she wasn't sure that….that she wanted him to see her naked like this.

Nervousness, arousal and shyness battled inside her. It was nearly 45 minutes before the bedroom door opened and her husband entered, looking worn but alert.

"S-Sasuke-kun, I—"

"Strip. Now" he growled. She shook her head as soon as the words reached her ears. His eyebrow raised.

"I want to see you naked. It's been months, Hinata-chan" he growled again, looking down at her.

"S-Sasuke-kun, I don't want-" a smothering kiss cut her off. His tongue felt so good after these months of celibacy. This kiss was hungry but slow; he gripped her shoulders.

As he withdrew and nuzzled his nose with hers, he asked: "Now, what don't you want?"

Red cheeks. "I am not very comfortable being n-naked anymore" she stated firmly, holding his eye as best she could.

He frowned. "Why?" he asked, pecking her again and moving his lips against her neck.

No answer.

He nibbled her earlobes.

No answer.

He was about to restate his question when her palms contacted with his shoulders, shoving him away.

"BECAUSE I'M CARRYING AN EXTRA 36 POUNDS" she shouted, the loudest he'd ever heard her scream (at least in anger.)

He stood back.

"I'm sorry" she said almost immediately. He was quietly restraining his anger. The Avenger in him, somewhat reawakened by the recent mission, wanted to treat her coldly.

But the still-growing husband side of him did not. He slowly knelt and tipped her chin up.

Biting back the frustration through gritted teeth, he said "It's fine if you aren't feeling up to it. But don't make this about your weight, Hinata" he warned before turning to stride to the bathroom. It'd been weeks since he'd had a decent shower at the last inn they'd stayed at in May before completely trekking through the wilderness.

She fell back on the bed, frustrated too. It wasn't that she _wasn't_ aroused or didn't want him but she was just so... _big!_ She wasn't sure it would work anymore and she wasn't sure he'd be aroused anymore if he saw her naked like this. Hinata tended to avoid looking at herself in the mirror now and just glanced at her face. She didn't at all hate her body it just wasn't...her body anymore. Hinata stayed still as the shower turned off (truth be told, since she had fallen backward it was hard to maneuver a way to re-position herself upright with her belly).

She tried not to watch him as he walked out, shirtless with a towel around his waist and another towel still moving through his soaking hair. _He still looks like that and I'm...I'm..._

"What are you doing?" he inquired.

"It's...difficult to sit back up" she admitted, turning her face away. A slight smirk dashed across his face before he sauntered to the bed, pulled her legs up onto the bed as well and snuggled against her. As he did this, he shook his head playfully and splattered water all over her like a wet dog.

"Sasuke!" she shouted playfully, trying to hold his head still with both hands. He moved up suddenly and her hands slid to his shoulders. His smirk was wider now and she realized what position they were in.

"S-Sasuke, you're devious!" she accused."Guilty" he replied easily and there were several moments of silence as he loomed over her in a powerful, lustful yet almost tender kind of way.

Her hands moved from his shoulders to pull her dress up over her belly and couldn't help but blush and turn away as his eyes took in its enormous girth.

She felt him shift so that his head was level with her stomach and then an almost-timid kiss.

"H-Hinata" he whispered gently. To witness her literally bearing the weight of the future clan inside her was incredibly arousing... _I've waited so long_

"I don't...I don't think I'll be arousing to you with how I look now" she admitted shyly as his tongue was caressing her navel.

He was silent for a few moments, still showering her belly with affection.

Suddenly he was over her. "You will always be arousing to me" he stated so matter-of-factly that Hinata couldn't help but believe him.

There was silence as they looked at one another. Without warning, Sasuke's eyes flashed red.

"W-what-"

"Stay here" he said abruptly before dashing out of the bedroom window.

* * *

He fucking knew whose eye he'd seen through the open sliver in the curtains, whose chakra he'd sensed just outside.

He grabbed a handfull of her pink hair, stopping her roughly and making her kneel before him in the dirt.

"What. the. HELL. do you think you're doing Sakura?" he yelled, tugging on her hair even more.

She whined.

"Hinata was attacked earlier this week. And now I catch you sneaking around our bedroom window, eavesdropping on our privacy nonetheless? I could slit your throat right now"

His voice dropped to a whisper. "It would be so... _easy_. Do you know that?"

He growled into her ear.

"Don't you know that you mean NOTHING to me, not even as a friend? Especially after the way you've hurt Hinata"

He launched her body away from him, spitting on the ground afterward in disgust.

After a few beats of silence, the medic nin quietly stood and brushed herself off before heading back to the hospital.

* * *

"I'm sorry if I scared you. Everything's fine" he reassured upon seeing her semi-hiding covers. He pulled them back up to her belly and pulled her shirt up again.

"Now, where were we?"

"I-I..."

His mouth softly caressing her girth. His tongue attended her navel.

"I-I think you were wanting me n-naked" she said, shyly meeting his eyes.

"Ah yes" he replied, smirking. She slid a bare leg from beneath the covers.

"I was only able to half strip before you returned but you'll like t-taking the top part off yourself, I think" she said sweetly.

He did indeed.

* * *

Time over the next weeks seemed to pass quickly. Tenten and Lee's wedding went off without a hitch and things were pretty calm as the summer marched on.

Tsunade was keeping Sasuke off long missions, particularly after the attempt on Hinata. Very few would dare trying anything with Sasuke in residence and several powerful ninja within a few miles.

The disturbing thing, though, was that their autopsies revealed nothing extremely intriguing. Tsunade and Shizune couldn't figure it out. If there was some anomaly, some disturbance, something different about them then that would be fine. It would at least be something to go on.

But there was _nothing_ special about them. They weren't even in the registered ninja files or Bingo book or anything.

They allowed Sasuke to examine the bodies with his special eyes but even that revealed nothing.

"Hokage-sama" stated Sasuke after his examination. "Such untalented ninja could not have gotten into Konoha unobserved without help, let alone locate the newly built Uchiha mansion AND know which room was the master bedroom"

"That all has occurred to me. And since they seem to be particularly unskilled ninja, that is even more disturbing. Why would someone choose them? I can think of dozens-hundreds even-of better choices than these three."

"Was this just a test to see if she is guarded when I am away as well?"

Tsunade bit the inside of her cheek. "That seems the most likely scenario"

Sasuke sighed. "The only people outside of trusted friends who have seen the mansion were all the guests at our Christmas party. Hinata mentioned that and she also reminded me that she gave tours of the upper level. She already prepared a list of guests for you, along with former and current alliances."

The Hokage didn't like this at all.

"Very well. I will look into it but you're talking about some pretty powerful families here. I'll have to be cunning to ferret out the needed information so it'll take awhile but I'll put the best team I have into checking each clan out. How's Hinata?"

The sudden change in topic caught Sasuke off guard. If the Hokage didn't know better, she would say the corner of his mouth upturned the slightest bit.

"She's well. We have an appointment tomorrow afternoon, don't we?"

"Yes. This pregnancy is marvelous as far as triplets go. She's on her 30th week so the babies could be here as early as next month"

His face did not give the slightest hint of his elation... or nervousness.

"You'll be a fine clan head, Sasuke. I'll see you tomorrow. Also, I think it would be a good idea to have Hyuuga eyes look at the bodies too as a precaution. So, if you could, bring Hanabi along with you both tomorrow"

He nodded, disappearing in a flash.

* * *

Hinata was relieved to have a girls' day. Although Tenten had returned from her honeymoon almost 3 weeks ago, she had been on a long mission until just yesterday.

Hinata, Tenten, and Temari were all buying decorations. Though Hinata had tried to dissuade her friends, they were throwing her a baby shower later this month and had already made invitations and everything.

"So you really aren't finding out the genders until the birth?" asked Tenten for the third time.

"Yes, Tenten-chan, neither of us really have an idea of the genders"

Tenten sighed, mumuring "no fun" as they browsed the racks of decorations.

"And Sasuke and I are getting the cribs together so you don't have to worry about those"

Temari grinned. " _The_ Uchiha Sasuke is going shopping for _baby cribs?"_ she quipped, eyebrows raised. "This is one for the books"

"Temari-chan! Sasuke has been very attentive and is very involved in everything concerning the babies. He's been to every single appointment when he isn't on a mission. We have our 30 week check up tomorrow"

Temari let the teasing drop. "You're 30 weeks already?" she said, switching topics.

"Yes, that means the babies could be here as early as next month"

Tenten and Temari stopped abruptly. "Wow...this is getting really... _real_ " commented Tenten.

Hinata laughed. "You're telling me!" she exclaimed, patting her belly lovingly.

They were silent as they continued to browse and purchase decorations. As they exited on their way to tea, Temari asked something that Tenten was also curious about

"Are you nervous about the birth, Hinata-chan? It's likely they'll be a c-section and..."

"No, I'm not worried. Of course, I'd like to deliver naturally but a safe delivery is what matters most"

"But...I've heard it's so painful..." commented Tenten.

"Girls, I'm a kunoichi. I'm sure it will be painful but I'll be _fine"_ she said, emphasizing the last word.

"I believe you. But I don't know if Sasuke will be..." laughed Temari. Shikamaru had confided Sasuke's slip of the tongue to her.

Hinata giggled. "During the birth, maybe not. Birthing babies has a way of unbalancing even the most stoic of men. I remember my father-THE head of the Hyuuga- shaking like a leaf outside my mother's room during Hanabi's birth. It was like he was nervous to even step foot in the room and he'd seen it before..."

"Really?"

Hinata nodded as she sipped her tea.

"Wow. I wonder what our husbands will be like..."

Hinata smiled. "It will be interesting to find out. When do you and Shikamaru want to have your first child?"

"Not for another several months at least. I've told him he better enjoy this body while he can..." Temari trailed off, laughing at the others' expressions.

"Yes, Lee and I aren't planning to try until after our first anniversary. I wanted three years but, you know, the life of a ninja.."

The three nodded in understanding.

Sasuke swung by to escort Hinata home after their shopping excursion.

"We'll be over on Monday to help you decorate, Hinata-chan!" called Tenten as they strolled out of sight.

Sasuke skimmed through the contents of the shopping bags.

"Paper doiles and rattles...toy blocks...in the Uchiha mansion?" he said.

She laughed. "Sasuke, the Uchiha mansion will have _babies_ themselves in it within the next two months. What ever are you going to do with the actual things?"

A slight red tinted his cheeks as he turned away from her peels of laughter.

There was silence as they sauntered home, Hinata's pace extremely encumbered by her extra weight. As they drew nearer the mansion, she whispered

"You know, Sasuke-kun, I am glad to carry our children, right?"

He turned to study her, eyeing her a little warily. Her face was so open and honest. _She really means what she said._

As a response, he took her hand in his. She leaned her head on his shoulder, a little fatigued from the day's activities.

 _"I don't think I'd want anyone else to carry my children"_ he thought, leaving the sentence unspoken in his head.

* * *

Okay. This might finally be something...maybe. Like I said, we're about to start time skipping more since I think the pace is a little slow. Trust me, I've thought about this story enough to want to go through every single detail of their lives as told by my brain but ain't nobody got time fo dat.

Is my distaste for Sakura too plain? Haha even though Naruto's creator says she is one of his favorites I haven't ever liked her, even in Shippuden when she got slightly less annoying and dramatic and...surface-y.

But anyway, to each his own. I hope y'all liked this chapter..I always feel like they're awful.

-Pi-chan


	16. Chapter 16

The strain of pregnancy was showing on Hinata's face, in her movements and in her actions more and more each day.

Sasuke had taken note of this and, much to his wife's embarrassment, insisted she have full body massages every morning and every night. Now that he was home and the Hokage had given him leave until after the babies' birth (assuming no wars broke out) Sasuke barely left her side.

On the day of the baby shower Tenten, Temari, Ino, Kurenai, Hanabi, a few Hyuuga girl cousins, and a few acquaintances gathered in the mansion's living room. Though Temari had wanted to have it elsewhere, Hinata's mobility was very limited now that she was right at the end of her pregnancy.

Sasuke had made himself scarce as soon as the first guest arrived. He was very wary of the affection he showed to his wife in public and did not allow many to witness them interact romantically. Hinata had planned a guys' side of the baby shower too and, with Hanabi and Tenten's help, had set up a fairly challenging obstacle course in the woods by the mansion as well as setting up a sparring field. So, whoever got through the obstacle course first would spar with the second runner up and so on.

Hinata had even seen that Sakura was invited as an extension of friendship but, when the pinkette had not arrived 15 minutes after start time, the girls started activities. First, Temari had a prediction game lined up in which each female present had to guess the sexes of the triplets. The majority favored 3 boys (" Sasuke couldn't father anything else!" explained Ino and Hanabi seemed to agree with her). A few, though, staked on three girls for humor's sake ("I'd love to see Uchiha around town with three little pink dresses in tow!" laughed Temari). Still more thought it would be a mix.

"What does your mother's intuition tell you, Hinata-chan?" asked Tenten.

"I-I'm really not sure. But perhaps two girls and a boy or two boys and a girl. Either would be nice, I think"

"What does Sasuke want?" inquired Hanabi.

Hinata grinned. "Three boys, of course. But he does want girls too, eventually. He really will be fine as long as they are healthy" she said, smiling at his earlier words to her.

"Do you have names picked out?"

"We've discussed them but I am leaving the final decision up to Sasuke-kun. Not because I don't care but I know how much it means to him..."

The others nodded in understanding. "And I trust him to pick good names"

As the activities continued, Ino suddently squealed: "I just can't hide it anymore!" and she pulled a ring out of her pocket and slid it on her finger.

"Sai-kun and I are engaged! The wedding is set for November!"

Immediate excitement filled the room, though Temari was a bit annoyed. Today was supposed to be about Hinata.

"It's okay, Temari-chan. You could barely contain it when Shikamaru proposed" she teased as a rare blush crept up Temari's face.

Temari gave in as excitement and congratulations fluttered all around.

"Yes, November 23rd. That's right. Oh the proposal was so romantic! Sai-kun.."

Ino's voice mixed in with several "ooo's and 'ahhh's.

Hanabi slipped over to her older sister. "How are you feeling, nee-chan? I still can't believe you're going to be a mother! I mean you'll be a great one but still..." she trailed off, a little embarrassed. Hanabi, much like their father, wasn't good with expressing intimate things.

"Oh, I'm alright Hanabi-chan. They're pretty busy in there and wake me up a lot but that's to be expected."

An awkward silence as an explosion of 'KAWAII" sounded from the circle of girls Ino held at rapt attention with her proposal story.

"Is something on your mind, Hanabi-chan?" Hinata asked, knowing very well that something was. The younger girl chewed her lip.

"If Sasuke ever-if you ever need anything, I'm here for you" she said.

Hinata's eyebrows raised. "Hanabi-chan, you don't need to worry. Sasuke-kun l-I-I mean cares about me and these babies a great deal, I think"

Hanabi's eyes searched hers. "I hope you're right" she said, standing up to snag a cookie.

"Nee-chan! These are your best cookies yet!" she exclaimed. Hinata smiled but was still a little worried at Hanabi's concern. Did she get it from Hiashi or was it all on her own? Her father hadn't shown concern about the marriage.

Her little sister was genuinely excited to be an aunt but...there was something else there...mused Hinata as she observed Hanabi during the rest of the evening.

* * *

Meanwhile, the sparring outside was growing a little rough. Kakashi was concerned as Kiba was no match for Sasuke but seemed to be doing his damndest to provoke the Uchiha.

 _"If only Naruto had gotten through the course first..."_ sighed Kakashi as he watched Kiba take another blow to the jaw.

The blonde hadn't taken the obstacle course seriously and had, just like old times, gotten caught near the end in a simple rope trap. This had allowed Kiba and Akamaru to bypass him easily and, since Sasuke had finished quite a bit ahead of the others, they were the ones to spar one another.

Apparently Kakashi had missed something because this was about a whole lot more than a simple spar. This was personal. Kiba had made several snide comments, alluding particularly to the fact that Sasuke did not deserve Hinata as a wife and how much Hinata secretly hated being forced into it.

However, the Copy ninja was almost certain the only reason Kiba wasn't more injured than he was at the moment _was_ Hinata. She would be furious with her husband if he severely hurt her friend.

Kakashi winced as Kiba's back was thrown full-on against a tree.

And the Uchiha would never admit it but he did care about Hinata, enough to turn his back to the injured Inuzuka and not finish pummeling him completely.

Both Kakashi and Shino felt their palms slide down their faces as Akamaru roused his owner again, whose comments were growing more and more crude.

"It disgusts her to have you touch her, you know" he said, just loud enough for everyone and Sasuke to hear.

There was nearly a visible crack in the tension. Shino reacted first, his insects swarming between the two (and several filling the Inuzuka's mouth to prevent him from speaking further.)

He spit them out.

"She thinks about _him_ all the time instead of you-"

His sentence was cut short as a lightening-incased hand pulled him up by the shoulder. Sasuke kicked Akamaru aside as he tried to attack.

Kiba finally realized he had pushed too far as he lost consciousness from the voltage running through his body. Without ceremony, Sasuke threw the unconscious man several feet away from him, wiped his hands together and smiled.

The others looked on in silence. None of them had tried to stop Sasuke. Kiba had been asking for it. None of them acknowledged the "him" Kiba had been pointing to during his last statement.

Sasuke looked dead at Shino. "I did not use enough voltage to kill him. He will, however, be knocked out for several hours. He should perhaps be taken to the hospital, though." Shino nodded respectfully and carried his friend to the destination indicated by the Uchiha.

 _"Oh Kiba. You said such disrespectful things I thought of pummeling you myself"_ thought Shino. _"When will you learn that Hinata does love him? That he loves her? Can you not see that? Or is it perhaps because you can see it that you say such things?"_ The bug user would never understand what had gotten into his longtime friend.

" _At least hopefullly we can put all this behind us now"_

* * *

After the last spar, the men headed toward the mansion.

"I'm sure my wife will have food prepared; you're all invited to stay for dinner" announced Sasuke.

"Sweeet, Hinata's cooking!" exclaimed Naruto.

"I'm sure Temari-chan's helped her too" commented Shikamaru.

The guys sighed collectively. "Let's hope not"

"Oi! Temari-chan's not that bad of a cook!" defended Shikamaru, trying to forget about the several dishes of burnt pasta and fish he'd eaten over the last few months.

"Maybe not. But she's no Hinata" replied Chouji good-naturedly.

The men chuckled in agreement, much to the satisfaction of Sasuke's masculine pride.

* * *

Sure enough, many of the female cousins had departed over an hour earlier and Hinata was just setting out the last dish, Nikujaga, as the men strolled in.

She counted her husband, Chouji, Naruto, Lee, Kakashi, Sai, Shikamaru, three of her male cousins and Iruka sensei.

"Kiba and Shino didn't stay? she asked, very surprised. They loved her cooking and she had been looking forward to catching up with them.

"Shino-san had to take Kiba-san to the hospital after the spar" stated Sai before any of the other men could stop him.

"H-Hospital?! Things weren't supposed to go that far!" she said, jumping in alarm.

Sasuke was at her side immediately. "Hinata, he's fine. He just got a little rowdy, that's all" his tone calmed her and she believed him. _It is Kiba after all._

Thankfully, she didn't see Temari catch Shikamaru's eye and their short and silent conversation. "Later" Shikamaru mouthed to end it as he took his seat.

* * *

Their camaraderie lasted long into the night. Only Temari and Hinata remained with the men past 10 and around 11 Temari insisted Hinata go to bed. The pregnant woman had already done two loads of dishes and looked dead on her feet.

Sasuke finally realized and stood to escort his wife to the bedroom, mostly to help her maneuver the staircase.

"S-Sasuke-kun" she said as he was turning to go back down the stairs. He halted and looked back at her questioningly.

"Will you...want to be intimate tonight?" she whispered a little shyly, trying to not allow the others to here.

He was in front of her, his mouth gently caressing hers.

"You're exhausted. Go to sleep, Hinata-chan" he whispered back after breaking the kiss before turning to rejoin the other men without a word.

Her little giggle of thanks was on his mind the rest of the night, though.

* * *

When Hinata awoke the next morning, Sasuke was already looking at her. Nothing was said for nearly half an hour.

"Did they wake you?" he finally asked quietly next to her ear. He was nibbling on her ear and working on making her naked.

"Mmm y-yes" she replied, knowing his intentions instinctively. _She isn't repulsed by me...right?_

"This one comes undone in the back" she whispered into his ear as she grinned. He kissed her in response.

Hands roaming her back. Skimming. Searching.

She arches up to lead his hands. _There_. The telltale click. He pulls it off slowly. She shivers.

"Cold?" he questions, gazing at her nipples before he leans in and takes one in his mouth.

"N...No"

He pinches the one his tongue isn't covering. "These beg to differ"

Her summer pajama bottoms don't last too long either. He slept naked so there's nothing for her to worry about. Her small hand reaches down to stroke him for good measure, though. A low, lusty growl sounds from his throat as he snatches her hand.

Panting. A few masculine moans, even some light scratches from her as she opens for him, yields to him. _Dammit, I wanted to go slow!_

But he rarely can with her, as much as he won't admit it. "I want to show you something new"

She's embarrassed by the girth of her backside as well, having always been a little sensitive about that part of her body, but he doesn't seem to notice.

"You look hot on all fours" he whispers, she barely has time to hear him before he fills her. again. _How many times have they done this since their first time, a year ago?_

It's innumerable, she knows. His hunger is so blatant, just as his hate once was.

She's unable to trace thoughts while he thrusts. _Th-this position is..._

He gripped her hips tightly, coming over her and covering her hands with his. An insanely deep thrust.

He grabbed her enlarged breasts again, circling her nipples with his thumbs. "A-Ah! Sasuke!" she panted. The new angle was bringing her to an early climax.

If she could have seen the amount of satisfaction on his face as her orgasm came and he felt the sensation of her inward pleasure, heard its expression in her moans, and dimly feel her grip the bed sheets in attempt to hold onto reality, Hinata would have been astonished.

His last thrusts were gentle as her orgasm settled and he shuddered against her.

"Did the position exhaust you?" Sasuke would ask later. He should've initiated it sooner but he enjoyed seeing her face so damn much...

"No" she answered with a blush. They were still cuddling, though it was well past noon.

* * *

This position quickly became a favorite, especially with Hinata's enormous belly in the way.

Sasuke was very glad the pregnancy hadn't diminished her libido all that much, except when she had an unusually active day.

September the 21st was not an active day, although Sasuke was on guard duty most of the day. (He had to do _something_ to be useful).

Even after a spar with Naruto, he still raised his eyebrows toward his wife over dinner. A small smile. _She's still deciding._ He was hopeful. She hadn't had a very active day, except for the minimal yoga and other activities she did to keep in shape. She leaned over the table and kissed him. _That's a good sign._ But he was still a little wary. Kiba's words those few weeks ago were still getting to him, despite his efforts to quench their effects.

Hinata raised her eyebrows back and gave a very definite nod. Then she was in his arms and in their bed before she knew it.

* * *

Hinata woke early in the morning, the clock showing only 3:03a.m. _Mhhmm...you all have never woken me up this early before..."_

It didn't take the soon-to-be-mother long to realize this wasn't her usual wake-up call. She stayed in bed for nearly half an hour before quietly standing, careful not to disturb her husband, and walked into the bathroom where she quickly showered and changed into a maternity dress before slipping into the hall.

There she paced, back and forth, for at least two hours. The contractions were regular but still far apart. She held her belly as she passed back and forth in the moonlight and then the early morning sunlight. Sasuke finally stirred around 5:30. It wasn't unusual for her to be in the kitchen by now, so he wasn't alarmed until he saw her pacing in the upstairs hall.

"Hinata-chan, what-"

"Everything's fine, Sasuke-kun. I think we jump started something last night..." she replied, beaming at him. Beaming at him the way she did the day she told him that she was pregnant...

"Hinata, is it...are they coming? Is it time?" he asked, his voice the closest to panic that it could ever get.

She giggled. "The contractions are regular, yes. But still far apart so I doubt they're here for some time..."

At the word "contraction" Sasuke's mind shut down. He and Hinata had not gone to birthing classes (that something definitely too public for the Uchiha) but they had gone over the process and Hinata had explained what would happen. She'd never gotten around to showing him videos, though.

Which, now that she saw his pallid expression, might have been a good idea.

"Sasuke-kun" she had to repeated his name several times. He finally blinked in acknowledgement before regaining his full commanding presence.

"Sasuke-kun, everything is fine. But we should probably go to the hospital now" he nodded, remembering to grab the pre-packed hospital bag and overnight clothing before picking up Hinata (something more difficult than on their wedding night) and bolting toward the hospital.

Once there, they were checked in and Tsunade was notified immediately. Hinata paced the room again.

"Should you be walking at a time like this?" asked Sasuke. Hinata smiled at him, knowing he was asking out of concern.

"It helps bring the babies down, Sasuke-kun" she replied simply, gripping the side of the bed tightly as the next one came. Tsunade arrived not ten minutes later.

"You're sure you want to do this naturally Hinata?" she asked one last time. The pregnancy had gone well enough that she was willing to allow it but...

Though Sasuke was a little nervous, Hinata looked the Hokage dead in the eye. "Yes,unless absolutely necessary"

"Okay, let's go ahead and check you then, since it's been a couple hours already" said Tsuande, helping Hinata lie back on the bed.

She'd forgotten to mention this part to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, Tsunade-sama is going to check my dilation to see if I am ready to push yet or not" she said, assuring him that this was a normal part. She doubted he would attack the Hokage but it was better to set him at ease early. As she already had her hospital gown on, all Sasuke's questions were answered moments later. He didn't know how he felt about it (especially since he'd been inside that same place less than 12 hours ago) but assumed it was normal since Hinata was allowing it. _Can..she tell how much sex we have?_ he mused suddenly as Tsunade's fingers were probing Hinata. She wondered at the slight coloration to her husband's face but would wait to ask.

"About 3 centimeters but it's real labor. You're at 35 weeks, right? These babies should be at a good birth weight then but may have to stay in the hospital a few days" she said as she threw her gloves away. Hinata nodded. "I'll be right back to check the their heart rates. After that, you may continue walking during labor"

When she left the second time, after declaring all the heart rates to be stable and saying she would return every half hour (because triplet births need to be monitored more closely) Hinata turned to explain to Sasuke.

"I have to be 10 centimeters dilated before I can start pushing the babies out" she explained, using gestures. He was a little pale but nodded in understanding. She also explained that triplets were normally a little lighter at birth than single babies and thus had to stay in the hospital longer to gain weight but that nothing was wrong with them. She knew, even though he did not yet know, how worried he would be about them when they were out of his sight.

She continued to pace. Around noon, Temari popped in.

"I can't believe it's finally here!" she exclaimed, hugging her friend gently and helping her through the contraction that seized her.

"Mind if I stay a while?" she asked. Hinata shook her head, making a little noise as she straightened up. "No. I was 5 centimeters at the last check so I still have a while"

Sasuke left the women to chat, awkwardly roaming the hallway outside. He didn't want to be too far away, in case something happened.

"So, how is he?" questioned Temari as soon as the door shut. Hinata giggled. "A little out of his comfort zone but he's fine"

"So I see" Temari said, amused. A stream of visitors came over the next two hours: Kurenai, Chouji, Shikamaru, Tenten and Lee, Ino and Sai (whom Sasuke almost threw out of the window), and Hanabi.

Naruto came and was confused as Tsunade asked him to wait outside while Hinata was checked again. Ino all but dragged him and Sai both out, explaining to both of them once they were in the hall.

Hinata let Temari and Hanabi stay for the dilation check. Hanabi squirmed uncomfortably and Temari, though stoic, was a little unsettled herself.

"7 centimeters. You're progressing nicely. I won't check you again until your water breaks. The heart rates are still steady so, be my guest" she said, helping Hinata stand back up.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun, will you help me walk?" she asked. Temari had just left. The sun was just starting to set and they were alone.

"L-Like this" she said, grabbing him and showing him how to steady her from behind. She hadn't wanted to show it when Temari was present but now that just Sasuke was with her, she whined and moaned freely in pain. On a particularly painful contraction, she leaned her head back into the nook of Sasuke's neck and her high-pitched whining nearly broke his heart. _I didn't know it was this bad._

But she still didn't complain. "It's all a part of the process, Sasuke-kun" she said. He was helping her walk and then supporting her as she leaned into or squatted into the contractions.

Fluid splashed onto the floor around 4:30pm. "Ugh finally" _She sounds relieved. Why does she sound relieved?_

She smiled. "This means the babies will be here soon, Sasuke-kun" she said, a little shyly. The fluid had gotten all over his shoes. "O-Oh!" she gasped, leaning into the contraction hard. Sasuke never noticed his shoes.

Sasuke was at a loss for what to do. He was about to go for Tsunade when the door opened and the Hokage came back in. Hinata, in the thoroes of labor, didn't notice.

"U-uh...some stuff splashed onto the floor a few moments ago and..."

"Her water broke? Good, finally" said the blonde, helping Sasuke get Hinata onto her back.

"8.5 centimeters. You're nearly there Hinata!" exclaimed the Hokage. "And the first one is still presenting head first so you're in a good position."

"I-I don't want to walk anymore" she said, panting. "You don't have to" she said, monitoring the heart rates.

"Okay. I'll be right back and hopefully we'll be ready to have some triplets!" she exclaimed happily.

Hinata grabbed Sasuke's hand. "I-It hurts" she said, gasping for air as the next contraction came on. Sasuke was silent, wishing there was more he could do. He winced as she squeezed. _Where did this strength come from?_

* * *

A smile on the Hokage's face. "Okay Hinata, you're ready to push! How do you want to do this?"

"I-I need to squat" she said. She already looked exhausted but the pressure was overwhelming. Sasuke helped Tsunade snap the squat bar into place.

"Ready?" _No, no I'm not!_ thought Sasuke but he steadied Hinata anyway.

"Bear down!"

* * *

Sasuke would remember the next hour of this day with strange clarity for years to come. The room filled with sunset, the baby's head a strange hue of orange. Hinata had been pushing for nearly 45 minutes when the sounds she was making changed. She was a good, solid pusher and the baby's head was starting to emerge.

"Watch, Sasuke-kun, watch!" she insisted, finally releasing the hand she'd been clinging to (that he slightly wrung while it hung at his side, out of the Hokage's sight).

He, more timidly than he had ever done anything in his life, peeked downward and stumbled backward slightly. Hinata was panting heavily now, trying not to scream. And there was a _thing_ in her...what? Sasuke felt lightheaded but his grip on the side of the bed didn't lessen. _I'll be damned if this makes ME faint._

His will won out eventually, just in time for him to witness the head come to full crown. _It...it has my shade of hair!_

Tsunade was monitoring the other babies. All seemed well.

Then, Hinata gave a huge push and the head was out. _The face of the future Uchiha clan. The Uchiha clan lives._ The baby even gave a small cry before the rest of him was born.

"S-Sasuke-kun, CATCH" shouted Hinata as she bore down again. Her unusual shouting voice startled him out of his sentimentality and into position. _Is this really happening? Oh my gosh, this is realllllly happening!_

It took Hinata a few more big pushes to get the shoulders out but the rest of the body slid out easily. Sasuke caught his first born, a strong mixture of nervousness, pride, and protectiveness swirling inside him.

"It's a boy! A first born son!" exclaimed the Hokage as she checked the baby in Sasuke's arms. He was wailing more fervently now. _A son..._

Sasuke looked down at the squalling body in his arms. There was never anything so beautiful or terrifying to him.

"Is something wrong with him?" he asked the Hokage, whose face showed its satisfaction as well as amusement at seeing the Uchiha's expression.

"No, it means his lungs are well-developed" she replied, showing Sasuke how to cut the cord and then watching as the former Avenger laid their son on his mother's chest. She wasn't crying but there were definite tears in her eyes.

"I am sorry but I must take him from you to do post birth procedures. You'll have him in your arms again soon" she assured both parents, taking him to weigh him and letting Hinata rest between babies. "4.7lbs, 19 inches long, born at 5:13pm on September the 22nd" she scribbled down hurriedly before carrying the baby away. She had reserved a special unit just for the Uchiha babies that was under ANBU guard, as well as some special genetic entry blockades.

Not five minutes later, Hinata was squatting and pushing again "the second one..it's coming, Sasuke!" she whined, bearing down again. He nodded, trying to comfort her in any way he could.

Ten minutes later, the second head was emerging. Hinata held back a shout as the head stretched her further and further before popping out. "Augh!"

"Good girl Hinata, the head's out!" Hinata nodded, grunting the shoulders and body out over the next few moments.

Sasuke caught this one as well, nothing the slight marks of indigo in its hair. "This one's a girl!" exclaimed the Hokage, grinning again as Sasuke held his first daughter. The new father remembered how to sever the cord and laid her on her mother's chest, as he had done with the first.

"She's so lovely" said Hinata. She was certainly crying now, from the way Sasuke looked at his children- _their_ children.

"The only one lovelier is you" he whispered and pecked her gently, leaning his forehead against hers. The Hokage looked away out of privacy, amazed to witness such a moment. After a couple minutes though she gently took the girl. "4.6lbs, 17 inches long, born at 5:27pm on September the 22" she wrote on the label again before carrying the girl,who was somewhat quieter than her brother but still sounded good, to the special unit.

"One more to go" sighed Hinata, who was laying down to deliver now. She was quite exhausted. Sasuke stroked her head with a wet washcloth. This baby took a little longer to come down and Hinata had to push another half an hour.

"Finally!" she groaned as the last head appeared. Sasuke watched the head emerge, still feeling a mix of both awe and disgust, and caught the third baby easily.

"Another boy! Congratulations, Uchihas" she said as Sasuke, a pro by now, cut the cord and handed him to Hinata.

Tsunade measued him at 4.5lbs, 18 inches long. He was born at 5:52pm on September the 22nd.

"It's over" sighed Hinata, grinning.

"Sasuke, come with me" said Tsunade who was exiting the room. Sasuke glanced back at Hinata who nodded and encouraged him to go.

* * *

In the special unit, Sasuke gazed down at his three offspring. They were all a little squirmy and he stared at each in turn, memorizing each feature.

"I've left a pen for you to write their names for the first time, new daddy" teased the Hokage as she shut the door. He did so slowly on each of the labels before exiting the unit.

Finally, he went back only to find Hinata falling asleep quickly. He entered the room, whispered the names to her and stayed long enough to receive her agreement on the names and watch her worn smile before shutting the door and turned to go down the hall to get some fresh air.

"Sasuke" said the Hokage. "I know you're tired but I think the waiting room would like to be appraised of the situation" she stated, eyebrow raised.

 _Waiting room? What did she mean...?_

Seeing his puzzled expression, she lead him to the waiting room just outside that housed at least 20 people. All of their generation, of course (minus Sakura), Hiashi and Hanabi along with several other of the Hyuuga clan, Kakashi, Kurenai, the guy that posted the birth announcements, several shop owners, and even the guy that had sold them the plot to build the mansion on.

Seeing the frightened look on several of the anxious faces and realizing that his puzzled, slightly bemused expression must have startled them into thinking something was wrong, he managed a genuine, ear to ear smile. The relaxation in the entire room was immediate.

"She's fine. They're all fine" he stated simply and cheers echoed off the walls. _I can't believe all these people are here...that they all care..._ he didn't think even Temari would wait so long. That damned strange feeling settled in his stomach again but his attention was soon called away from it as he was surrounded by Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, Lee, Sai, Kakashi and even Shino.

"Damn, I think I might look better than you...for once" laughed Naruto as he clapped him on the shoulder.

"Well, you've put us all through a troublesome day" chuckled Shikamaru, clasping the Uchiha's other shoulder.

Everything seemed to be forgiven between him and Kiba too.

After a few moments of the guys crowding around him, "manly" congratulations and the like, Ino's voice sounded over the crowd.

"Okay, okay boys! Now tell us about the BABIES" she demanded, and the rest of the crowd seemed to be in agreement.

"What babies?" answered Shikamaru easily, which earned him a smack from Temari.

Sasuke waited a few moments, letting the room settle. This time he smirked.

" The first born of the Uchiha clan revival is a boy" he said, letting it settle on the room. Hoorays from the males, some money exchanging hands begrudgingly.

"The name? What's his name!" shouted Ino.

A smirk. "You'll have to wait on the names. Hinata and I have decided to wait until they're publicly presented to the village"

A groan from the audience.

"They're all three boys, then?" inquired Hiashi.

"The second born of the Uchiha clan revival is a girl. She is 4.6 pounds and 17 inches long"

Squeals from the girls.

"The third born of the Uchiha clan revival is a..." he drew it out, smirking. "Boy. He's 4.5 pounds and 18 inches long" he finished.

"SOO CUTE! TWO BOYS AND A GIRL!" shouted Ino. Sai wasn't fully caught up on why gender was so important or why to be excited about it but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Another round of congratulations sounded. Sasuke actually stayed and socialized with the crowd a little while before motioning to Hiashi.

"Come, you should meet your grandchildren" he said and the room let them go. Even Hanabi sensed this wasn't her time to see her niece and nephews.

* * *

Hiashi gazed down at the three holding units, as near to weeping as he had been in a long while. It was a privilege to know the names first. He and his son-in-law shared a long look after he read the oldest son's name. In what was maybe the oddest circumstance ever, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hiashi shared a familial hug that lasted more than two seconds. After Hiashi exited, they never spoke of it again and Sasuke never even told Hinata about it. It was a moment, though, he was thankful for.

He allowed two more visitors to see the babies: Hanabi and Naruto. Hanabi was happy the whole time and Naruto turned into a big weeping/laughing mess all over Sasuke.

"Oi! You cry more and louder than the babies do" he said, annoyed and a little red cheeked after he finally peeled his best friend off of him.

* * *

Woohoo! Triplets are HERE! Their genders have been planned for a while (like..since before the story began) so props to you all who guessed correctly!

Do I have any name guesses? Hint: It's NOT Bob, Sue, and Tim or Peter, Paul and Mary.

Also: is it weird to wait on the names? That sorta was a last minute addition I hadn't planned but it set up a sweet moment for Hiashi/Sasuke (still weird even after writing it haha).  
Anyway, here it is! YAY THEY ARE HERE!

-Pi-chan!


	17. Chapter 17

Sasuke hadn't known what to expect at their first breast feeding, only about two hours after his children's birth. The nurses brought the babies back in and left them laying on the bed. All three were fully awake, their wide and dark eyes meeting their mother's white ones. Suddenly, Sasuke saw her lift the oldest triplet and bring his mouth to her nipple. Then, the little boy began to suck and Hinata let out a sigh. She adjusted her position before picking up the girl and letting her latch on, with a little difficulty, to her other breast. She leaned her head back against the chair in the room, smiling.

Sasuke was at a loss for what to do; it was such a serene picture. _Did he really belong in it?_

* * *

Hinata had to stay in the hospital two days before moving to bed rest at the Uchiha mansion. The triplets would have to stay about a week, Tsunade thought, but they were all very lively and healthy. With the Hokage herself checking on them every half hour, Sasuke was comfortable with focusing most of his attention on Hinata's healing at home. Hinata had pumped enough milk for them to be fed during the night by trusted nurses (the Hokage and an older nurse that had delivered most of the Hyuuga clan babies of the last half century, including Hinata and Hanabi) and Sasuke carried her to the hospital daily to feed them herself. It was a difficult arrangement but they could bear with it for a week. Hinata, he knew, needed to recover as well.

Tsunade had pulled him aside just before they left after the discharge.

"She didn't tear but I don't recommend sex for at least a month and it may take even longer than that for her to feel ready emotionally" she advised, stepping back as Hinata exited the restroom.

He had figured sex would be a "no" for a while. He could handle it.

Hinata slept a lot during that week and often dozed off when they cuddled after returning home from the hospital at night. She was still bleeding a little from the birth, something she assured him was natural, and Sasuke had a few nightmares about the birth so he was personally relieved she wasn't ready to have sex again; he wasn't sure that he was although he didn't say a word to her.

He sparred with Naruto about halfway through the week, releasing some pent up energy and trying to obliterate the awkwardness between himself and his wife since the birth.

A lighting blade flew over Naruto's head, slicing a bit of his hair and careening into the forest of trees behind them.

"Woah, Sasuke, your aim's never this off. What the hell's the matter?" he asked. Sasuke gave him a smug look and shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't sure he knew himself.

"Are you nervous about being a father?" asked Naruto, raising an eyebrow with a grin forming on his face. A light blush on Sasuke's face as he looked away.

"No"

"Sasuke, relax. It'll come naturally"

Sasuke still didn't look at him. _Maybe to someone like **you.**_

* * *

Later on that night, Sasuke and Shikamaru were ensconced in the empty room nearest the master bedroom in the Uchiha mansion. Since they knew the genders now, Hinata was instructing them on how and where to place everything (she'd accumulated several things for both genders over the last few months) and they were trying to put together the cribs. Temari was on a mission with Tenten and Sakura but Hinata knew she would love to see this.

Both genuises had been struggling with the instructions for about 15 minutes now. They had gotten one side standing on its own but the middle kept falling out when they moved to the other side.

As she watched them, a thought crossed her mind " _Neji, I wish you were here to help them and make it even funnier"_

She hadn't thought about Neji for a while, her mind being occupied with the triplets and Sasuke over the past few weeks. She had visited his grave on his birthday in July, introduced him to the triplets and wished very much he would be able to meet them.

She was called back to the present as her husband and Shikamaru started arguing over which way to turn something on the crib.

About an hour and a half later, all three cribs stood sturdy and ready for their occupants. Hinata finished decorating them herself and Sasuke finished putting several lines of defense on the nursery, including special seals and barriers he had learned from Orochimaru.

Hinata wished they weren't necessary but knew as Uchiha children they would be incredibly vulnerable.

As if to corroborate, they were alerted the next day that someone had tried to break into the special unit where the triplets were kept. The genetic lock on the outside was busted but the culprit hadn't been able to enter the room. The ANBU guards, originally only stationed there from 7pm to 7am, now switched to 24 hour guard because the attempted break-in had happened at approximately 4:42 in the afternoon.

The babies had three nights left in the hospital and this recent development prompted Sasuke to move into the special unit itself, sleeping on a cot while Hinata slept in her original hospital room.

Sasuke would get up and check on them at least every hour, if not more. The first night at about 2 in the morning when he got up to check on them, he was a little startled to see three pairs of eyes meeting his, regarding him coolly.

"Aren't babies normally supposed to cry when they wake up?" he asked aloud to the otherwise empty room. He laid back down and his wish was granted not two hours later when his daughter began to cry.

He didn't want to wake Hinata yet. So he stood at the bottom of the holder she was kept and stared at her for several seconds before reaching down and lifting her up. Looking around, he leaned her little face against his shoulder and started gently swaying. He wasn't sure how he knew to do this but it worked.

She quieted and was soon back asleep. He held her until dawn and Hinata almost cried when she found them together in the morning, Sasuke asleep in the room's recliner and a wide-eyed baby in his arms staring at the door.

"Sweetheart, wake up" she whispered to Sasuke as she gently lifted their daughter from his arms.

"Mmmm?" the Avenger shook himself awake. "Oh yes, she got a little upset around 4 and...well she's okay now" he said awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

But he honestly didn't need to say a thing. Hinata picked up the youngest triplet (their older brother still seemed to be asleep) and settled into the other recliner. She smiled at them as they suckled and Sasuke approached her, bending to peck her on the forehead.

"The oldest looks a lot like you, you know" she whispered as he stood back up. He smirked.

"Mostly, yes. But I think his nose and mouth look more like yours" he replied, caressing her cheek with one hand. They forgot about the existence of anything else until their daughter announced that her breakfast was finished and started crying. Hinata was about to react when Sasuke picked her back up again and held her until she finally burped and calmed nearly 20 minutes later.

There were no other incidents during their hospital stay and the babies were discharged exactly a week from their birth. The Hokage informed Hinata that she would be able to begin light training again three weeks after the birth and could resume normal training schedules after two months, although she wouldn't go on actual missions until after four months. Sasuke would be back on the missions roster after a month. She'd been extra generous with them since this was the reestablishment of a powerful clan and asset to Konoha after all but she would need Sasuke back before long.

Over the next days, a morning routine was established that Hinata and Sasuke came to cherish, though it was unspoken between them.

Sasuke would carry all three children into the master bedroom and lay them out on the bed. Hinata would pick two of them up to breastfeed them while Sasuke surreptitiously checked the third child from head to toe for new scratches and overall health. Hinata delighted in being the sole witness to Sasuke gently kissing little toes while they dangled in the air above him or when he would softly touch noses with them. She had a feeling he wouldn't be so soft and obviously affectionate toward them always but she would cherish its visibility while it lasted.

Sasuke scheduled their presentation to the village for October 21st, the day before his name officially went back on the missions roster. They did not have many visitors during the first month, their friends respecting Sasuke enough to give him time with his children before his missions resumed.

The day of the presentation ceremony, Sasuke helped Hinata dress their children with some futility. Hinata had dressed the oldest in a deep crimson, the hue of the Sharingan and the youngest in a beautiful onyx color. Sasuke had been trying to get his little girl into her white ceremonial dress for about 10 minutes now. Hinata turned from dressing the youngest boy to watch the scene. He'd managed to get the little under shorts over her diaper (it was starting to get cool outside) but she was also squirming and Sasuke looked about ready to rip the actual dress into shreds.

"Here, let me" she said, giggling from amusement. He gladly tossed the garment toward her and strode over to his sons, inspecting their appearance. _She always thinks of the clan colors._

She had the dress on in 10 seconds flat and Sasuke resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at her. He matched his youngest son in a deep black ceremonial robe and Hinata matched the oldest in a deep red robe. Even after a month, she'd dropped a lot of the baby weight and the light training she had resumed a week earlier was helping. _Good thing too._ They were even having their first "clan pictures" taken today after the ceremony.

The Uchihas, with the fan clan symbol on each back, headed toward a raised platform that would be used for the upcoming fall festival. They turned heads wherever they went, the public eager to get a their first glimpse of the rumored Uchiha triplets. _I'm so damn glad we only have to do this once_ thought Sasuke as he turned to face the entire village that had gathered for the event. It was custom to only introduce the first born (in this case first borns) of a new clan generation to the public rather than just posting it.

He made the proper and expected introduction, acknowledging his wife's important role in giving him the children, and she brought the eldest to him first so that Sasuke could hold him and present him to the crowd.

"This is the first born son of the Uchiha clan in nearly two decades: Uchiha Hizashi because with him a new light of hope enters the Uchiha clan."

There were the expected exclamations on the name, many realizing the honor bestowed to the Hyuuga clan through this name.

Hinata took Hizashi back, nearly crying herself, before bringing their daughter to Sasuke.

"And this is the first born daughter of the Uchiha clan in nearly two decades: Uchiha Yua, because she will be the thread that binds her brothers and the clan in unity."

Hinata took Yua, who looked rather unimpressed by the crowd, back to Hanabi who was seated with her on stage and took the youngest to her husband.

"And this is the second-born son of the Uchiha clan: Uchiha Hiraku, for he will be his siblings' support, through him the clan will also expand, and for he is not the last- born child of the Uchiha clan."

Applause thundered. Sasuke couldn't retreat quick enough. He hated public affairs. With the end of the announcement, the fall festival began and people began spreading out, many coming to congratulate Sasuke and Hinata as well as to meet the triplets.

Sasuke was on guard the whole night, suspicious of almost anyone who approached his children but no one was crazy enough to try anything with him there. Hinata was also on guard, though her chakra sense wasn't fully back up to its original height.

They retired from the festival early. Sasuke thought about love-making when they got back to the mansion but after putting all three babies down Hinata looked like a zombie.

* * *

Sasuke's name had barely appeared on the missions roster before he, Ino, Shikamaru, and Sakura were sent out to the far reaches of Water country.

"It'll be at least two weeks. We'll probably be back just in time for Ino's wedding" he said, reading over the summons. At least he didn't leave until the next morning.

She kissed him when he left, though there was little passion in it. Hiraku also started crying so she had to rush to him, leaving Sasuke to shut the door himself.

Many of their friends visited in the afternoons often. The three Uchiha triplets spent much of their first months of life on a soft blanket in the middle of the Uchiha mansion living room being coddled and cooed over by some of the most powerful ninja in the world.

Temari was over nearly every day she wasn't on a mission. Kiba and Shino were over very often too. Temari was very fond of Yua and Yua of Temari. The little girl would almost as soon go to the blonde as her own mother. Strangely, Shino bonded very quickly with Hiraku, the youngest. Kiba loved all three of them equally and the three found him equally entertaining, especially when Akamaru accompanied him.

Hizashi, the oldest, was not particularly fond of anyone outside his parents. The three's personalities began showing as they interacted with different people. Hizashi was much more reserved than his two younger siblings and was also very quiet, preferring somehow to follow the routine of feeding and playing set by his mother. He would cry, however, almost the moment he'd dirtied his diaper. There was a joke among the regular visitors that he was already a "neat freak."

Yua sniffled easily but rarely outright screamed and cried. Normally, she was very happy and obliging to anyone who wanted to hold her unlike Hizashi who preferred his father over everyone, his mother second, and tolerated only Naruto and Shikamaru otherwise. Though, it was obvious she had a preference for her "aunt Temari" early on. Hiraku wasn't much of a crier either and Shino was very fond of him and he of Shino.

Not too long after their introduction to the village of Konoha, Temari announced that her brother Gaara was officially engaged to the woman from Water country.

"The wedding will be on December 10th. The council wanted to wait until spring but Gaara wouldn't have it. I think he might actually be in love with her" said Temari, grinning but with sadness in her eyes. She'd watched her brother come a long way and now he wouldn't be "hers" anymore.

She and Hinata were playing with the babies.

"Goodness, that's less than 2 months away! Although I don't suppose I should say anything about quick weddings..." said Hinata, smiling as she kissed little Hizashi's toes.

Temari, who was bouncing Yua in her lap, chuckled. "No, I don't suppose you should. But I mentioned it because all the noble clans will be invited and it's around your wedding anniversary and you mentioned not having had sex since the birth..." said the blonde, winking at her friend.

Hinata was glad the babies couldn't understand words yet.

"That sounds lovely and we can get special leave for clan-related events but...I don't know if Sasuke will want to go or leave the babies so soon. I mean, we'd leave them in the Hyuuga mansion where they would be more than protected and coddled but I'll see what he says when he returns. He and Shikamaru should be back in about a week, right?" _But then again I don't know when we'll get another chance to actually go somewhere for our anniversary._

Temari nodded. "How do you think they're handling Sakura and Ino?"

"I've been trying not to think about it" admitted Hinata as she lifted her two sons to her breast for their afternoon feeding. " I don't really have a problem with Ino anymore, she's been more than supportive and is over the moon with Sai"

Temari nodded, agreeing with the observation.

"But I don't know what Sakura's problem is. She's fairly emotionally mature; I thought she would have accepted all this by now, especially now that the triplets have arrived."

Temari nodded again. "I haven't been able to get anything out of her but I asked Shikamaru to keep an eye on her during the mission in his down time. I feel like she might not waste this opportunity..."

"Sasuke-kun won't give in. I trust him fully" she said. Temari knew that the Uchiha had Hinata's full trust. But he didn't have hers. She and Hanabi had talked a little bit in the waiting room while the triplets were being born. Hanabi, though young, was still very sharp and somewhat like Temari when she was younger. She had concerns as well and they had discussed what could be done but hadn't come up with anything.

"Even after some months of celibacy?"

Hinata shook her head adamantly, reaching for Yua as she did so. "He's got more self control than that" she said, not feeling a hint of insecurity.

Temari picked up Hiraku, who decided to coo in her arms today instead of squirming. _I hope your mother is right_ she whispered out of Hinata's earshot.

* * *

"Dammit Sakura, I said _no"_

This was the third time en route to Konoha she had tried to get him to touch her, albeit innocently. _At least she had the decency to wait until the mission was over._

She'd been almost a pleasant teammate on the mission, if not still annoying by the supposedly secret glances.

He'd still been glad to be paired with Ino during the ambush, though. She was a lot less annoying than she once had been and they had actually had a camaraderie-like conversation for about five minutes. Mostly about her wedding, of course, but a conversation nonetheless.

"You really love Hinata-chan, don't you?" she asked out of nowhere, shortly after expressing her hope that she would get home in time for her "nail guy" to do something with the terrible mess her nails had become during the mission. He glanced away from her.

"It's okay" she said, reaching to pat his hand in a pal-like manner.

"You don't have to say it. You show it every time you look at her" was all she said before the signal sounded and they got into position.

"Sasuke-kun, I was only trying to-"

"Keep it up and I'll red-list you Sakura"

That shut her up. Red listing was where a ninja requested not to be put on missions with a certain other ninja. In Konoha, each ninja was allowed two red-list options. In dire need it was overlooked because ninja were all adults but for the sake of most successes it was normally listened to.

He was serious. In fact, he meant to red-list her anyway. He knew her game and was sick of it. _You'd think she'd be over it by now._

* * *

They arrived back in Konoha in the middle of the afternoon the next day. Shikamaru had to go to the hospital for a broken wrist and chakra exhaustion but he had captained the team well and the rest were free to go.

Sasuke heard sweet baby giggles as soon as he opened his front door. He had caught Hinata on a rare afternoon alone with the triplets (most the other girls were out on missions, Kiba and Shino and Naruto were as well, and others were helping prepare for Ino's wedding in a few days' time).

He watched silently from around the corner while Hinata held Hizashi above her and blew on his belly, causing the normally stoic baby to squeal with delight. After several minutes, Hinata giggled.

"Sasuke-kun, I know you're there. My chakra senses are back to normal"

Damn. He'd forgotten about that.

He sheepishly came out from hiding, only to have her throw her arms around him and give him a very warm kiss. _Mmmm..I'd forgotten..._

His body stirred just in time for her to step back and answer one of the babies' cries.

"Yes, it's nearly feeding time isn't it?" she cooed at Hiraku. She settled with her back against the couch and began suckling the youngest two of the triplets.

He fought his arousal at seeing the valley of her breasts.

"Sasuke-kun, did you hear me?" she asked. He seemed a little out of it, like he was sometimes after missions.

He had not heard and she repeated Temari's suggestion.

"I am already off for Ino's wedding, would you have me off for an entire two months again? I'm going to be out of shape" he said, smirking. He caught the momentary flinch in her features. _Ooops, that's probably still a sensitive subject._

"Sorry..." he muttered.

"It's okay"

A long awkward silence.

"But yes, I think that would be a good idea" he said.

"Are you sure you'll be up for the journey?" he asked. When they departed the birth would be two and a half months past but he wanted to be sure.

"Yes" she replied. "My stamina is nearly back to where it was before but we may want to leave a day early just in case"

He nodded. "We'll leave on the 5th and arrive on the 8th or 9th then and stay for our anniversary before returning around the 20th" he said, mentally mapping out an itinerary.

"Are we throwing a Christmast party again this year?" he asked.

"I think bi-annual would fit our schedule better, Sasuke-kun" He agreed.

She stood with Yua and Hiraku in her arms, getting ready to put them down for their afternoon nap.

Sasuke lifted up Hizashi from the floor who squealed in unusually expressive delight upon recognizing who was holding him. Sasuke pecked him on the forehead and whispered "I missed you too"

* * *

Ino's wedding was decadently beautiful in true Ino style (Hinata figured at least five thousand flowers must be incorporated the the decorations).

The triplets had behaved during the wedding and several people came over to hold them during the reception. Kakashi held the two boys at once, smiling with unconcealed pride and happiness at them, even when they both tugged on the sides of his mask simultaneously. At two months, they were figuring out their fingers and toes admirably well.

Ino and Sai were going on a very extravagant three week long honeymoon somewhere in the Land of Rivers and would end it with attending the Kazekage's wedding.

Sakura had managed not to make a scene at the reception, her being the maid of honor and all. She and Naruto still weren't on good terms, as was apparent by their avoidance of each other.

Hinata had had to excuse herself to quiet a fussy Hiraku whose diaper was full and she was sure it was Sakura that stood behind her from afar for a few seconds before moving on toward the inner parts of the reception hall.

She missed the nurse's friendship but was not about to put up with shallowness or pettiness or a possible danger to her babies.

When Hinata returned, Sasuke asked her to dance. She blushed but left the triplets in the care of Kakashi and Temari.

A comfortable silence enveloped the couple as they danced. It was a slow number but Sasuke still wanted to be sure Hinata didn't tire out.

"You're a good mother" he said quietly as they walked off the dance floor. She smiled.

"And you're a good father" she said, tip-toeing to peck him on the cheek.

* * *

They left the triplets with some difficulty. Surprisingly, Hizashi was giving the most fuss, even in his grandfather's arms.

Hanabi had Yua and Hiraku sufficiently entertained after their parents gave them a final kiss goodbye. But Hizashi wouldn't quit whining when his parents started to walk away.

This led to Sasuke holding him for about half an hour before he drifted off to sleep. "You'll be okay and we'll be back" he whispered as he laid the boy down to nap. Hinata had left copious amounts of breast milk but there were plenty of Hyuuga women who were feeding their own children still. The Hyuuga clan had seen five new children within the last seven months, mainly due to the need to improve numbers after the war. _The aftermath doesn't only bring bad things_ she thought.

They finally left for Suna at noon, Hinata reveling in leaving the front gate even though she would miss her children. It was also odd to stay at inns instead of camping out like they normally would on missions but Sasuke insisted.

She also realized that she and Sasuke had not been intimate in quite some time. Her body felt ready but he hadn't seen her naked in so long...

There were very few other women in the inn's public bath to notice her blush. She felt it would be awkward to make love with him now.

He initiated cuddling later, after they both returned from their respective public baths. She fell asleep, though, before anything happened. He pecked her on the forehead and fell asleep.

* * *

Sasuke was awakened by a long forgotten sensation. Something warm and wet seemed to be trailing down his abs. He jolted awake. _That damned determined look again._

It'd been _so_ long. He wondered if this meant she wasn't ready for penetrative sex yet but didn't think further on it as her mouth sheathed his member.

"H...Hinata!" were the only syllables he was able to muster for quite some time.

* * *

They reached Suna on the evening of the 8th. They had made good time and Temari, having traveled to Suna nearly a week ago, welcomed them and showed them their quarters.

"You all have a suite to yourselves. It comes with a private jacuzzi and everything!" she said, giving them the complete tour.

"I'll be busy most of the day tomorrow with preparations and bashing people over the head but here are some ideas if you'd like to see more of Suna" she said, handing them a list of restaurants and small attractions. She'd even indicated the ones less likely to be crowded, since an influx of people were in town for the Kazekage's wedding.

"But you're also welcome to relax here. You're booked until the 20th. Check out is at noon. Shikamaru-kun and I will be leaving on the 16th, though, as the Hokage requires him back sooner to help with some medical research involving the Nara deer"

They nodded in understanding and Temari left them alone.

"Are you tired, Hinata-chan?"

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "No but I am hungry"

"Me as well. Let's go see what there is to eat"

They ended up at a corner shop restaurant about two blocks from their hotel. The doorbell rang as they entered and the owner turned to greet them.

His jaw visibly dropped when he saw who had entered his shop. Sometimes Sasuke and Hinata forgot how recognizable they were, especially together.

They ordered and talked about the triplets' expected growth as they waited on their food.

"I do not know the effect the Byakugan will have on the Sharingan's strength, but it's likely that it will strengthen it" said Sasuke.

"You were 12 when you first activated the Sharingan, right?"

He nodded.

"How old was Itachi?" she asked quietly, aware of their surroundings.

"Eight" replied Sasuke. Her eyes widened. _We may have less time before they become fully-fledged ninja than even I suspected._

They had not yet discussed when to introduce the idea and history of the clan and the Sharingan to the children.

"I don't think we have to worry about it until one of them awakens it" he said, although no one could foresee what, if any, effects the Byakugan's lineage would have.

Hinata agreed, jumping a little as their food was set before them.

The meal was silent as well as their walk back to the hotel.

* * *

The Kazekage's new wife did not look as Hinata had expected. The Kazekage, living in the desert, still had extremely pale skin.

But the woman, whose name she learned was "Namika" and was from a country where it rained most the time, did not. Her skin was tawny and smooth, her eyes a strange but alluring shade of golden green and her hair was a russet blonde color. She was a little shorter than the Kazekage himself but her presence was just as commanding, which was saying something. She wasn't quite beautiful in appearance but was very striking to look at.

The ceremony was lovely and Gaara's affection toward her was apparent to anyone with eyes.

"Is she a ninja?" she asked Temari.

"Yes, Gaara actually witnessed her fight during the war and one of the first things he did upon his return was to send a request of courtship if it were available"

Hinata grinned. That certainly sounded like the Kazekage. "But I thought she was a daimyo's daughter?"

"She is, Namika Shimizu is the eldest daughter of Water country's daimyo. When she was young, her mother died so her father remarried and soon had a son and later another daughter with his new wife. Her step mother dislikes her very much, as she is not easily led to things she feels is wrong and did not automatically submit to her new stepmother. Thus, her step mother persuaded her father to enter her into a ninja academy, hoping to weed her out as competition from her own children. No one expected her to succeed quite so well. She's only 17 but already a special Jounin and a master of the water, earth and lightening elements. The family was at dinner when Gaara's request for her hand was read aloud. Namika has said that she would give her left hand to have had her stepmother's face captured by an artist at that instant" said Temari, grinning.

"She sounds like quite the character" said Hinata.

"That's probably why I like her so well" said Temari, giving Hinata a hug before rejoining the wedding party.

"Oh, and..the jacuzzi's are really, _really_ relaxing. I took it upon myself to stock your wardrobe in the suite with something to wear" Temari whispered over her shoulder before and winking before walking away.

Hinata blinked twice before the words registered. Her eyes sought out her husband who was currently chatting with Naruto and Shikamaru on the other side of the room. He actually seemed to be ready to laugh and Hinata was so glad he'd found such easy camaraderie with Shikamaru and Naruto. Suddenly, he looked away from the conversation and his eyes locked with hers. Butterflies filled her stomach; it was only him and her in the room. His eyebrows raised and she looked away, blushing in embarrassment and strode quickly to Ino in order to catch up with her.

Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke's eyes sought her out nearly every five minutes for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Hinata had left the reception before him, as he had some visiting dignitaries he wished to meet and establish ties with as well as catch up with ones from the Christmas party nearly a year ago. He'd been a diligent clan head when it came to letters but he knew these old men liked to be greeted in person when the occasion called for it.

This duty kept out until nearly 1am. The room was dark when he reentered, except for the glow of the jacuzzi tub.

"Don't turn the light on"

Sasuke almost jumped, as he'd expected Hinata to be asleep. And she had dozed, from about 11 30 until 12 30 in preparation for this.

Temari had left her a lovely crimson red bikini that barely covered anything. It had taken Hinata nearly an hour to decide to wear it. She certainly was still not back up to pre-baby standards but that's what the darkness was for.

Sasuke was intrigued. "Why not?"

"I want you t-to join me in the tub" she said. She was currently sitting on the edge of it, her legs dangling in the water. Sasuke didn't need a second invitation. He slowly stripped down and slid into the tub on the other side.

There was silence for a few minutes before Hinata entered the water, inhaling deeply before she did so. She was nervous, Sasuke could easily discern.

She walked over to him slowly, unsure of what his thoughts were. Finally, she stood before him and gazed up at him. He gazed back, a little entranced by the sole glow of the Jacuzzi lights outlining her form (which he hadn't seen without clothing in quite some time).

His hands reached for her waist and his mouth hovered above hers. Slowly, he rocked them back and forth. Her arms were around his neck and he could feel her heart beat race.

The first kiss was gentle and chaste. He was re-exploring her mouth, searching out the mold of her lips with his before softly gliding his tongue along them.

They stood in the Jacuzzi, making out for quite sometime before Hinata broke the kissing and snuggled her head against his chest. His arms were still around her waist and his hands were situated on her lower back.

He reached up to stroke the back of her head. "Do you want to go further, love?" he asked, the last word slipping out before he could reel it back in. She would dwell on its meaning later.

She pulled back to hold his gaze again. He bent to kiss her cheek, and then her ears, and then to place love bites on her shoulders and neck while his hands searched out the hook for the bikini's top. She started to shake when his hands undid the clasp so he hesitated pull the top off.

He let the undone straps hang at her sides, floating in the water. She hadn't really answered his question. She hesitated too, a little nervous still.

"I-I...am afraid" she said finally.

"Of what? Pain? I'll be easy"

She shook her head. _Sasuke I delivered three children, a little stretching pain is not going to intimidate me._

"Of me not being attracted to you?" he asked prodded further, his erection gladly disproving that statement as he moved against her.

For the first time, she shook her head.

"T-That I won't be who I once was" she said, finally putting it into words. He considered her words for a little bit before leaning to whisper

"No, you won't. You've changed but so have I. Marriage is about changing together"

She tugged the bikini top the rest of the way off. He caught it. "You really should keep this" he said before tossing it out of the tub.

Those words were his last before his attention honed in on her newly-bared breasts.

* * *

He ended up walking to the bed, holding her with her legs wrapped around his waist.

His attentions to her breasts were slow, controlled and drawn out as he enjoyed the increasing fervor of her noises.

Her bikini bottom was still on. As he settled her on her knees on the bed, he cupped her rump with both hands before sliding them down. She kicked them off and was going to lay down when Sasuke stopped her.

He turned toward her, encouraging her to spread her legs further while she was still on her knees. His index finger settled between her legs, giving her control to lower herself onto it as she pleased until it was more comfortable. As she did this, his tongue gave her nipples some much needed attention and his free hand held her hip, holding her close. She reached out to grip his shoulder as she moved herself up and down.

"Nnn..another" she gasped after a few minutes. He obliged.

Soon, however, his fingers weren't enough. He wasn't quite expecting her to jump into his lap but she did so, wrapping her legs around his waist again. _This position might be too rough now._

Sasuke didn't see another option. They were in a somewhat awkward position so he slowly laid back until Hinata was straddling him. Her blush was immediate. In 2 years of marriage, he'd always been in control.

"I-I-I..." she started to back off, not wanting him to have to look at her tummy and also afraid of not doing something right. He stopped her, pulling her onto him.

He moaned her name and that made her stay. She timidly lowered herself down at first. They gasped as she encased him.

Hinata, he discovered, was remarkably good at setting rhythm. His thrusts to meet her were gentle but the view he experienced made him climax sooner than usual.

She was above him, panting and moaning in ecstasy as if she'd forgotten what their union felt like and her entire upper body was flushed with arousal, contrasting violently with her innocent white eyes and indigo locks.

She smiled too as she watched him finish their pleasure. It was a powerful feeling, to be making love with and above Uchiha Sasuke. She did not move immediately, holding his gaze with a blush and a wide grin.

"I think I should be on top more often" she giggled, taking this opportunity to lay down against him as he usually did to her.

He did not give a response but the look in his eyes said "challenge accepted."

* * *

Hinata would win more often than he counted on in the coming days. He hadn't counted on her ability to make his wrists useless, since it had been dormant so long, which left him at her mercy. Needless to say, they didn't get much of Suna explored before they departed for Konoha on the 20th of December.

They were happy to be home, however. Hanabi looked a little frazzled when they entered the Hyuuga compound at sunset two days before Christmas. The younger girl's hair was all over the place and her normally stoic manner was reduced to a pallid tiredness.

She handed Yua and Hizashi to her mother. "I don't know how you do it, Hinata-neechan" was all she said before retiring to her room.

Hiashi came to greet them, carrying Hiraku in his arms. "Welcome home daughter, son" he greeted warmly, even as the little boy he held tugged on one of his long strands of hair.

"You don't seem to have had a bad time of it, father" said Hinata, laughing as Hiraku stubbornly fought his grandfather for grip on the strand of hair.

When he sensed his parents, though, he let go easily and reached for his father, who gladly took him.

"Were there any problems?" asked Hinata, grateful to be holding her children again.

"No, not at all. Well...unless you count Hanabi's lack of sleep" chuckled Hiashi.

Sasuke and Hinata were perplexed. "But they...they usually don't wake up but two or three times a night, much less than a lot of babies" said Hinata.

Hiashi's expression was surprised. "Really? Perhaps it's the new surroundings, then. At least one of them has been wailing the whole night through for several nights. You should bring them over more often."

Hinata nodded in agreement. They chatted a little longer about the wedding and how the trip had gone.

"Ah, so the Kazekage married the lovely and strong-willed Namika. I had been considering her for Neji before the war broke out..." Hiashi stopped, remembering who he was speaking to. They hadn't spoken of Neji aloud since the war.

But Hinata, who had become preoccupied with the two siblings in her arms, hadn't seemed to notice.

"Well, we've had a long journey, father, and will need to get these littles to bed before long" she said, turning to walk out the front door with Sasuke close behind after he bowed respectfully to Hiashi.

* * *

The next months passed in a blur of feeding, changing, and missions. They had celebrated Hinata's birthday early in Suna so the actual day wasn't really recognized.

Sasuke was gone most of December and January, only to return within hours of Hinata's departure on her first mission in almost a year. It was only B rank and was with Kiba and Shino but it was nearly three weeks long. Her training had gone well but she felt the weight of being out of commission easily. She wasn't nearly as quick as she had once been, though she felt better about her speed by the time the mission was halfway over, and she hadn't realized how accustomed her body had become to soft beds. She awoke sore the first three days and grew extremely frustrated with herself.

"Hey, you've carried three kids at once. Chillax" encouraged Kiba. She couldn't expect to just rebound and be back up to top condition even if she was 19.

Sasuke being home alone with the triplets was an interesting feat. They normally behaved for him, though sometimes even hours of rocking wouldn't calm them down.

"Yeah, I miss mom too" he would whisper while walking around the upper hall with one or more in his arms during all hours of the night.

Hinata all but collapsed into her husband's arms when she returned from the first mission back.

"Welcome home" he whispered before shifting to accommodate her and settling back asleep.

* * *

The Uchiha triplets spent most of their fifth and sixth months of life at the Hyuuga mansion. Sasuke was gone for almost three months with Sai, Shino and Tenten while Hinata had three consecutive missions of two weeks each.

The Hyuuga family were already fond of these three little ones, who were becoming more and more mobile by the day. When Hinata returned on the last day of February, all three were able to roll over from their stomachs with a high degree of proficiency.

With the way things were going, she doubted if she would be home with her children more than a few days but after a week she had not been called for. Temari and Shikamaru celebrated their first anniversary and the pair were over often to play with the triplets. Most of Shikamaru's work for the next few months would be in Konoha to prepare for the next Chuunin exam as would Temari's so they would be able to help Hinata often.

"Good job!" Temari praised as Yua rolled over. The little girl squealed in delight at the praise, turning over the other way in hopes of receiving it again.

Shikamaru was holding Hizashi, who was napping, and Hiraku was practicing crawling near the opposite edge of the rug. He had pulled himself across it once and now seemed determined to repeat the feat.

"They're growing fast. How old are they?"

"Nearly 7 months now. They should be crawling fairly soon" Hinata replied, smiling as her youngest achieved his goal.

Sasuke finally returned in the latter part of April and was pleased to find his wife at home, scooping her up in his arms for the first time in almost four months.

"Are the babies asleep?" he questioned quietly.

"I just put them down about 10 minutes ago" she replied. Sasuke resisted doing a happy dance. He settled for twirling around with his wife in his arms.

"I missed you" she whispered as he walked up the stairs. His kiss stopped her from saying anything further.

 _I missed all of you too_ was one of his last thought before she stripped down. He hadn't seen her in a while and she was back to pre-baby condition, although some stretch marks were clearly visible. _All the better_ he thought _you bear the marks of our clan's revival._

Then, there were no thoughts.

* * *

Woohoo! I'm pretty proud of this chapter; I felt the others were getting repetitive. And *YAY* almost 8,000 wordz! HAPPY SUMMER!

 **Hizashi- "rays of the sun" and, obviously, in honor of Hinata's late uncle.**

 **Yua- _結 (yu)_ meaning "tie, bind" and _愛 (a)_ meaning "love, affection".**

 **Hiraku- _拓 (hiraku)_ meaning "expand, open, support". **

Let me know what you think of the names!

-Pi-chan!


	18. Chapter 18

Sasuke did not like feeling useless or helpless.

And he had felt both during his wife's first labor; it had driven him insane, eaten at his pride. Plus, he'd like the rest of the babies to be born at the Uchiha mansion if at all possible. It was a safer and more controlled environment. He'd deliberated for months.

And now, he had finally decided to present his request to the Hokage. She listened attentively and, in the end, gave her consent. But she suggested that he disguise himself.

"I've already thought about that" he said, transforming into a girl of about fifteen with dark brown hair and dark eyes. The Hokage paced around him, inspecting him.

"Stand a little more like this" she said, demonstrating. He obeyed.

"Now let me hear you speak" she said again. He spoke in a higher voice.

"Take it down a little and add a little more breathiness. That voice sounds outright fake" she suggested. They tweaked it for about 10 minutes before she was satisfied. She took a deep breath, holding back a chuckle that this very feminine looking girl in front of her was Uchiha Sasuke.

 _He really cares about his clan...and Hinata._

"Most of the teachers and especially new trainees won't sense chakra that well. But Sakura will be teaching some of the classes and there are quite adept staff so you'll have to be extremely careful" she said, holding his gaze. _He's really serious about this._

She sighed. "Very well, here is the class schedule. The ones with pink stars indicate the days Sakura will be teaching the class. There's only three so you may just want to skip them and I will excuse you to her and catch you up on the rest" she informed Sasuke, sliding the paper to him. His transformation dissipated.

"You have my thanks, Hokage-sama" he said, even adding a small bow.

"What shall I sign you up as?" she asked. He smirked. "Sakiko Uehara"

"Very well _Sakiko Uehara_ you are officially on the class roster. They start in July and last for 4 weeks. I assume you'll want me to try and not schedule missions during those times?"

"It would help"

"Very well. Anything you miss I will catch you up on. See you next week" she said, grinning. He bowed and exited.

Uchiha Sasuke was going to add "midwifery" to his list of many talents.

* * *

Sasuke's smile was genuine as his eldest gripped the couch in his tiny hands, pulling himself into a near standing position.

"When did you say babies normally begin to walk?" he asked, watching carefully that Hizashi didn't fall too hard when his attempt failed.

"Between 9 and 12 months" she replied. The family was cooling down from an outing around town, as it was very warm for mid-May.

"Yes, they're just about eight months now so it could be soon" she said, reaching down to pat Hizashi's head gently and stroke his soft dark hair.

Yua and Hiraku were occupied elsewhere, seemingly wrestling over some invisible object.

Hinata came to settle in her husband's lap.

"Hi" she said gently, leaning to peck him on the lips. At least, she intended it to be a peck.

He, on the other hand, held her head in place with one hand to prolong the kiss. They ignored the gurgling noises from the carpet until Sasuke opened his eyes and saw three pairs staring back accusingly. W _hat are you doing with our mother?_ they seemed to say.

He let her pull back, enjoying the smile gracing her lips. "Mmmm...you know, it should be about time for their afternoon nap" she said, standing up again and scooping Yua and Hiraku in her arms.

"They don't look tired" he said, grinning up at her.

As if to contradict him, Hiraku happened to yawn a moment later.

"That's enough evidence for me" Sasuke said, scooping up Hizashi and following Hinata upstairs.

* * *

Hinata had just returned from a two week mission with Shino and Ino when she nearly ran into Temari in the hallway outside the Hokage's office.

"Oh! Hinata! You're back...we-we should have tea and catch up! Can you wait? I'll be just a minute" the blonde said before disappearing around a corner.

It was early July and a beautiful day outside so Hinata waited. Sure enough, Temari was back a few moments later.

Hinata thought Temari was unusually quiet and also seemed distracted.

Hinata spoke about the triplets and the mission but noticed Temari seemed distanced.

"Temari-chan, is there something you wanted to talk about?"

Upon hearing her name, the blonde jerked out of her trance. "What?" Oh, yes I...I just wanted to ask you...um..."

 _Is this what it's like when I stutter or am unsure? Temari is never this nervous...about anything._

"How...how soon you can know you're pregnant?" she finally stated, her lips curling into a slight smile. Hinata rocketed out of her seat to hug her friend as soon as the sentence finished.

"I'm not really sure how soon you can because with the triplets I got nausea very early before I even suspected anything. I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TEMARI-CHAN!" she exclaimed as quietly as she could.

"When's the last time you and Shikamaru..." she let the hanging sentence indicate her meaning.

"Oh, this morning. But...I don't know maybe I'm wrong but..."

"Is your period late?"

"Um...yes, by about three or four days I think..."

"What else makes you think so?"

"I've...had a little spotting which has never happened before. When it comes, it's a waterfall and not a trickle" she stated bluntly.

"Have you taken a test?"

"No...I wanted to ask you about it first. Shikamaru doesn't even know I suspect anything...I just don't know how to tell him and didn't want to get him excited for nothing..."

Hinata took Temari's hands in hers. "Tell you what. I'll go buy a fairly sensitive test and then you can take it at my house"

"But..."

"It's better if you find out sooner, especially if you're sent on a mission"

It was unlikely, as the Chuunin exams were imminent, but it could happen.

"Okay...thanks Hinata-chan!" she said.

At the mansion, both women waited the two minutes patiently. The downstairs bathroom was rarely used for anything other than changing diapers but Hinata was glad to have it today. The timer beeped. Their eyes met and Temari rushed back into the bathroom to see the results. Silence.

Hinata was ecstatic to see her friend so excited. She couldn't imagine Temari being a mother but the blonde sure seemed enthusiastic about it. Hinata followed her in.

"So, what does it say Temari-chan?" she asked, glad that Sasuke was on a mission.

She handed it to Hinata.

Hinata squealed and hugged her friend again.

"Congratulations Temari-chan! I am honored to be the first one to know! Shikamaru will be SO excited!"

"How do you tell husbands these sorts of things?" she asked, a little unsure.

"I just sort of told Sasuke-kun that we didn't have to "try" when he said he was "up for trying all night"..." she said, a blush appearing on her face. Temari smirked. _I knew his appetite would be intense._

"Just sort of...say it. Or write it, if that's your thing. Whatever you want! It's _your_ baby" she said.

Temari placed a hand over her stomach. _My baby...our baby!_ Newness flooded her.

"Now I can take _you_ shopping and all sorts of stuff. I won't tell anyone, not even Sasuke-kun if you don't want anyone else to know just yet!"

"Thanks. We'll probably wait a few weeks to let the word out. I have to write Gaara and Kankurou. Oh boy...that's going to be an interesting letter" she said, failing to even come up with non-awkward wording.

"They'll all be excited I'm sure!" encouraged Hinata. She returned Hinata's hug and Hinata set out snacks for them. Temari stayed a long while, as Shikamaru didn't get off until 6.

About 5, the front door opened and Sasuke, expecting to find Hinata alone since he had checked the roster and seen she had just returned, shouted some...embarrassingly sweet things to her from the front hall. Embarrassing for Hinata, anyway.

And embarrassing for Sasuke too when he rounded the corner and saw a very smug blonde sitting at his kitchen counter. Their eyes met for several seconds before Sasuke felt blood rush to his face.

"Well, Hinata, thank you so much" Temari and Hinata's eyes met again and they both giggled.

"I'll see you later" she said, striding slowly by Sasuke, her smirk not leaving her face.

After the front door closed, Sasuke met his wife's eyes. "Sorry..." he said, still fighting his blush down.

"Don't be" she said, standing to stride toward him. "Temari ran into me at the Hokage tower and wanted to have tea together and then we ended up coming back here for some snacks" she explained, arms coming around his shoulders. His arms reached out to snake around her waist.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. Hinata was smiling her "ridiculously happy" smile.

"You seem happy. What about?" he asked, leaning in closer to her face.

"Me? Just to see my husband..." she said innocently, biting her lip and trying not to give anything else away.

He didn't look convinced. He was still Sasuke Uchiha after all. It'd only been three weeks this time, although that didn't really mean much for them yet. Sometimes two days seemed like too long... _hell even two hours._

"Is that all? Are you sure?" he asked questioningly, dipping her in his arms.

"I'd be happier...if I saw more of him" she whispered, allowing her eyes to rove over his form still garbed in its mission uniform. A handsome smirk as she stroked his abs through his shirt.

"I think I can oblige you" he replied. "You haven't picked the triplets up yet?" She shook her head before shrugging the straps on her mission uniform off her shoulders.

"Then I can definitely oblige you" he said, unceremoniously throwing her onto the couch and pouncing on her.

"Here?" she said, surprised. "I can't make it to the bed" he replied, ripping the button on her pants. There was a reason he'd come in calling those things.

 _No_ she decided later _we certainly wouldn't have made it._

* * *

It was a few days later as Sasuke was taking out the trash that he discovered the pregnancy test.

His hand shaking, he walked into the living room where Hinata was playing with the triplets after their afternoon nap.

"H-Hinata...are you...what's..."

She looked up, alerted by his tone. Seeing what he held, she stood immediately and rushed over.

"No, no Sasuke-kun not at all!" she said, taking it from him. They hadn't discussed when to start trying for the next child, though Hinata only took birth control on missions.

The triplets had originally noticed the ruckus but now returned to playing with their blocks.

He gave her a look that said "then what in the hell is this doing here"

She sighed. "Well, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone until they're ready. I really should've thought to dispose of that some other way..." she said, mentally kicking herself in the head.

"But there was a reason Temari-chan was over the other day..." she said. Sasuke's eyes showed that he registered the connection.

"But you can't tell anyone yet! I don't even know if Shikamaru knows yet because she came to me for advice first!" she said, pointedly looking him in the eye. He nodded.

"You should know I am a good secret keeper" he said, smiling.

* * *

Sasuke's first midwife class was interesting to say the least. He was able, for the first time in his life, to walk into a room of girls and not be tackled to the ground. He felt like a normal person for once.

The introduction wasn't bad. But then there were pictures during the "general overview" and he was reminded of that day all over again. He felt a little dizzy.

"Okay, now these next few pictures are pretty graphic so if we have any sensitive stomachs in the room you may want to leave"

Sasuke's eyes stayed glued to the screen but his hands gripped the edge of the desk tightly. _For Hinata for Hinata for Hinata._

It was finally over 10 minutes later.

"Okay. That's all for today. No homework, but please read the first two chapters of the booklet I handed out in the beginning of class"

Most of the girls stayed around to talk afterward but "Sakiko" quietly slid out the door, noting most of the girls were non-ninja and walking calmly until exiting the hospital before bolting away into the night.

Hinata didn't know about the lessons yet. Sasuke would never admit it but he was _embarrassed_ to tell anyone but the Hokage about them. Though she'd obviously have to find out eventually...

 _I'll cross that bridge when I come to it._

* * *

Sasuke's 20th birthday came in with a brief summer shower in the morning. He was up at 5am for guard duty. Normally, he felt "too good" for guard duty but he had agreed to take over some shifts as a favor owed to the Hokage for keeping the midwife lessons on the down low and catching him up after his week long mission to the border of fire country. He left Hinata and his 10 month old babies asleep.

He couldn't believe they were that old. Just yesterday, Hiraku had pulled himself to full standing by the couch and stepped along its edge, still hanging onto the couch for support. The other two, not to be outdone by their brother, practiced for nearly fifteen minutes before Hizashi succeeded and Yua got tired and sat down to bawl her eyes out. It had taken Sasuke almost twenty minutes to quiet her afterward. _At least my shift ends at 10 instead of noon_ he thought as he shut the front door quietly.

Hinata woke around 7am to some crying infants. She fed them one by one, having weaned them slowly off breastfeeding over the past four months. Then she dressed them and took them to the Hyuuga mansion. _Sorry loves. Today is your daddy's birthday and we haven't had extended alone time in months._ The last time she could remember was December during their stay in Suna. Most of their other alone times were shortened to naps or just after missions.

She left them with two of her cousins and her father, who was always delighted to see his grandchildren. Then she picked up some groceries and headed back to the house. It was only 9 so she took her time in dressing in her new ruby red lingerie. He'd probably end up just ripping it off anyway but she may as well try. She followed it up with light touches of makeup and a spritz of Sasuke's favorite perfume. She slid into her morning robe, placing it just so in order to make it seem like nothing was amiss. She felt her heart pick up pace as the last minutes until 10 passed, unable to resist running downstairs to the lower level windows to watch for him. _I hope he likes the lingerie..._

* * *

Sasuke was ready to tear his eyes out. _I cannot believe I am spending part of my birthday in class. CLASS. I graduated the academy HOW long ago?_

Today they were going over basic female anatomy and its changes during pregnancy and labor. Suddenly, the teacher said something that clicked. _Oh, so that's why that happened._

 _Oh! So that's why she was like that..._

 _Oh! So that's why she moans when I..._

Maybe this lesson wasn't a waste of time after all...

* * *

 _Where is he?_ wondered Hinata for about the fifth time. It was nearly 1 in the afternoon. She had never worried about him cheating before; he was almost always all over her when he returned home, especially if it had been longer than a week. It had slowed down a little bit after the babies but after Suna they had picked up right where they had left off pre-pregnancy. _I'm being silly. He may have gotten lunch with some of the guys or had more clan business to take care off._

She shrugged it off, although she bit her lip in nervousness. She tried to busy herself with thinking about her earlier conversation with Temari. The blonde had taken her husband out to his favorite cloud watching field and (with some extreme wind-user talent) spelled "What should we name our baby?" out in the clouds above them. She had laughed aloud as she retold the story to Hinata later, saying the "genius" took several minutes to respond.

"He's ecstatic in his own way, of course, although all he's said for a week straight is "troublesome." I went to the Hokage like you suggested. I'm only about three weeks along but she says everything looks normal" said Temari cheerfully. "And she said I could still help out with the Chuunin exams, especially since they're only about a month away now and I shouldn't have too heavy of symptoms by then"

Hinata nodded. "Especially if it's only one baby. Mine were only so amplified because of having three. Do you have a due date, Temari-chan?"

The blonde grinned. "March 20th!" she had said cheerfully.

"Have you and Sasuke discussed your next child?" she asked, knowing the Uchihas were planning several more.

Hinata shook her head. "No, the triplets aren't even a year old yet. We'll probably talk sometime after then. Do you and Shikamaru want the same gender?"

Temari's grin grew wider. "He's always planned on a girl first and then a boy. But then he planned on marrying a plain, quiet wife too" snorted Temari.

It worked. Hinata was so lost in thought that she didn't realize Sasuke was approaching the mansion until he was twenty feet in front of the window. She bolted outside. It was a humid day out and she stopped just in front of him, inhaling sharply.

He glanced around, noting that she was still in her morning robe.

"I've been waiting for you since 10" she said.

"I was preoccupied with clan matters and then I ran into Kakashi and he insisted on buying me lunch since 20 is a pretty important birthday" he said, reaching for her. _And it isn't every day Kakashi offers a meal rather than skipping out on his part of the bill._

She stepped back out of his reach.

"Did you get me anything, Hinata-chan?" he whispered quietly. She shrugged her shoulders innocently, backing away from his grasp again.

"Do that again and I'll catch you for sure" he stated seriously. Her eyes met his challenge. And then her legs were around his waist and he was striding toward the mansion's door, which she had left open.

Naruto, who was going to the mansion to wish Sasuke a happy birthday and see if he could have dinner on the town with him and Hinata, was just coming over the hill and only caught Sasuke's last few strides. But he'd seen enough to know to turn around and wait a while. Hinata's lips were locked to his (and he doubted Kyuubi could part them) and his best friend's hands had been sliding the shoulders of her robe down. _Damn guys, it's like 2 30 in the afternoon! Isn't that supposed to slow down after children? Hell, after the first year of marriage?_

He had a feeling that it wouldn't slow down for that couple for quite some time and couldn't help but feel a twinge of loneliness as his back disappeared over the hill and out of sight of the Uchiha mansion, unbeknownst to the couple inside.

* * *

At least they actually made it to the bedroom. Sasuke appreciated the lingerie for a while. Its beautiful contrast with her skin and eyes allured him as always but when her robe finally fell all the way off and he caught a whiff of her perfume, he grew impatient.

"You're" a kiss on her neck.

"so" a kiss just above her left breast

"stunning" he said sincerely, lifting his head to kiss her lips again. He'd never directly complimented her beauty in such a way, only shown his attraction to her through arousal.

Color rose to her cheeks as she turned a shade of scarlet he hadn't seen since their first days of lovemaking. He cupped her face as they stood outside the bedroom door.

"I-I-I...I've never been called...such a thing" she admitted shyly, her eyes falling to scan the floor. He tipped her chin back up, searching her eyes for several moments.

"I'll have to fix that, as you deserve it every moment of every day" he whispered before pulling her close to him. Soon, her blush was heightened by her arousal and she turned the doorknob to the room. They tumbled inside, her legs still firmly holding to his waist.

"I'm of a mind to have you against the wall" he said, reaching around to secure her as he kicked the bedroom door shut and trapped her with his weight against the wall next to the bathroom door. The pressure of his weight between her legs caused her to moan.

"It's your birthday" she said, thrusting her breasts out to him. He accepted gladly, teasing them through the fabric.

"A-Ah! S-Sasuke!" she whined. He teased her more and more until she started to undo the top of the lingerie herself.

"Allow me" he said, stopping her hands and intentionally leaning his chest into hers to keep the fabric against her nipples as he reached around to undo the top.

"How many?" he said, biting her earlobe.

"Th-three" she said, wishing it was none. He took his time, nearly three minutes undoing them all. He finally pulled the top off of her, tossing it to the side.

Her reaction was immediate as she rubbed her breasts against his chest, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. He held the pressure there, stroking her bare back for a little while before leaning her back against the wall and cupping breasts. As he thumbed over her nipples, her keening grew louder and he encouraged it, his pleasure increasing each time the syllables of his name rolled off her tongue,often punctuated by pants and gasps and moans.

"Please!" she finally said, her nails digging firmly into his shoulders. She wiggled her legs to show what she meant, nearly screaming as he pressed into her through the cloth of the remaining lingerie garment.

He'd discarded his shirt somewhere in the living room and his pants somewhere along the stairway. He smirked and lifted off of her a little bit, knowing the loss of pressure would drive her insane. He slipped a hand down to slide his underwear over his hipbones and let them fall the rest of the way down. He replaced the pressure, grinding himself against her.

Uchiha Hinata ripped her own underwear off. The look in her eyes was pure passion and he became equally intoxicated. Because she wanted _him._ Not just to say she slept with " ** _the_** Uchiha Sasuke." Not just because he was an Uchiha. But because he was _him. Her husband. The **only** one she moaned for_

He parted her nethers delicately, gripping her so that he controlled the depth of his penetration. Then he stopped his motion with his tip barely inside her.

Her eyes had closed and they sprung open now, confused at the delay. The way he was looking at her made her insides tighten and heightened her ache. It was no longer just a look of lust; it was a look of enchantment, of devouring.

He finally thrust, choosing to make them slow, deep and calculated. His eyes didn't leave hers until she was forced to grip him to hang on. Her head fell onto his shoulder and her shouts, though loud, made his ears ring in pleasure.

Very few minutes later, orgasm swelled over them simultaneously and they slid to the floor together, both too weak in the knees to be capable of much else.

* * *

They made love twice more that July 23rd, unaware that a few short minutes after the first time Hinata had become pregnant again.

The couple interspersed sessions with chaste kisses, dinner, sweet nothings and long conversations. Days like this didn't come all that often and, while their youthful energy could sustain them, they wanted to make the most of it.

In fact, Sasuke was about to initiate the fourth and final love making session of his birthday marathon and their tongues were already occupying each other when the doorbell sounded around 8pm. They both froze, eyes meeting for several seconds until another ring sounded.

Hinata heard Sasuke hiss "I _will_ kill them" as he hurriedly threw on an evening robe and in a flicker was at the front door. This was a birthday he was actually enjoying for once, dammit.

His face changed when he opened the door. _A summons. You've got to be kidding me. NOW?_

He undid the fasten on the scroll and scanned the script. Hinata sauntered up behind him slowly, wondering at his silence. Her arms came around his waist and still he didn't respond. His hand slowly lowered before handing her the scroll.

Tears welled in her eyes as she read the summons.

"Reject it" she said, voice hoarse.

It was a solo S rank mission in rough terrain and far away from any possible backup, also referred to as a "suicide run." These had a 32% success rate, even amongst special Jounins.

"Hinata-chan, I-"

She already knew his answer. Her husband did not turn down missions, both out of pride and for the clan's reputation.

He reached for her face and she jerked away. "I'll...prepare your gear" she said, running back upstairs to the weapons vault.

He sighed deeply as he followed her. He had only an hour to report.

She was absent mindedly sharpening a small katana he carried when he entered the vault 15 minutes later, dressed in full mission garb.

He began stocking the kunai and shuriken she had already sharpened in silence. Her tears, though dry now, were still faintly visible on her neck and robe.

When she had finished, he came up behind her and held her tightly.

"I will return to you safely" he said. When she didn't respond, he sighed again and turned around to walk out of the door. _The sooner I leave the sooner I return._

He made it to the top of the stairs before he heard her calling his name.

He turned back around just in time to catch her and steady them both before they went tumbling down the stairs. Her hug was tight and her head smothered against his chest.

He stroked her back, waiting patiently. Slowly she backed up and her chip tipped up so that their eyes would meet.

"You're not invincible, Sasuke-kun" she said with surprising sharpness. "I'd rather have a mortal husband who knows it and returns alive than a mortal husband who thinks he's immortal and comes back in a body bag" she said, tears falling from her eyes again.

"Pl-Please don't forget that. I don't care if you're a hero or a tough guy; I just care that you're here with me and in one piece" she finished, eyes falling.

His heart rate increased. The words were on the tip of his tongue.

"I..." he said. She looked back up again, head tilting slightly to the side. He kissed her furiously for a mere moment and then was gone.

And Hinata was alone to listen to the sound of the door clicking back into place. _I love you too_ he thought as he raced toward the Hokage tower.

* * *

Temari and Shikamaru, even in the midst of the final Chuunin exam preparations, came over the next morning when Shikamaru learned where Sasuke had gone.

They found a sullen Hinata, sitting alone on the couch in the large Uchiha mansion. She'd told her father she would be back for the triplets the following afternoon so she had the morning free. _I love you, my little ones, but you also remind me so much of him and I'm so worried..._

Temari sat by her side immediately and comforted her without words. Shikamaru was silent too, thinking over the troublesome matter in his head, playing out scenarios, and trying to tally probabilities. Several minutes later, he broke the silence.

"You know, the success rate for these missions on average is 32.43%" he said and Temari looked as if she was going to tornado his head off. Hinata was near tears again.

"But that's for the average ninja, which we all are quite aware Sasuke is not. I've tabulated, taking into account Sasuke's sharingan, his high level lightening techniques, his speed, and most of his other attributes I am familiar with. When all this is taken into consideration, his success rate increases phenomenally to about 85.13%" he said. Now Temari was smiling sweetly at him, realizing her husband was trying to help in his own way.

Hinata seemed to feel a little better. _B is way better than an F after all..._

"Anyway we've told Yoshino, who was basically like "about time" when we've only been married a year and a half! Gaara's letter came back, the typical "congratulations" and such and Kankurou bothered to right a small note on the last page. Men..."shrugged Temari.

Hinata's smile grew as Temari continued to prattle on about her brothers and pregnancy. Hinata's spirits lifted a little, if only she felt that it was for show, while Temari valiantly carried the conversation.

Ino popped in half an hour after Temari and Shikamaru's arrival.

"Hinata, can you check something for me?" she asked politely.

"Um, sure. What is it, Ino-chan?"

"Well...I-I think I'm pregnant. I'd have to be about two months along since Sai-kun's been gone with Sakura and Kiba for that long. I figured you might be able to see it by now and I wouldn't have to deal with those...icky...pregnancy tests..."

Hinata smiled. "Sure Ino-chan!" she replied and activated her Byakugan. After about a minute of focusing, her smile grew.

"You're right, Ino-chan! There's definitely a baby growing in there!" she exclaimed. Ino's squealed made Shikamaru cover his ears.

"Thanks Hinata-chan! My period's been missing for two months but I am irregular sometimes, especially when I have consecutive missions like I've had recently so I wasn't sure. But I've gained a few pounds so that's what first caught my attention...

Shikamaru, unperturbed by Ino's ranting about girl problems after years of blocking it out, settled on the couch on the other side of Hinata and yawned.

As Ino finally wound down, she asked "So, what're you all doing together?"

Hinata winced but Temari beat her to the answer. "Sasuke was sent on a solo S rank mission last night"

Ino was quiet for all of three seconds. "You won't have to worry Hinata-chan!" exclaimed Ino.

Hinata managed a small sentence. "I-I know. He's a great ninja and very powerful and-"

"Well that's true" mused Ino, her index finger resting on her chin. "But that's not what I meant. Sasuke cares about you and his family way too much to let the moon come between you, let alone a rough villain or two" she said, waving goodbye as she said it. "I have to go see the Hokage now!" she called. _Hurry back, Sai-kun, so you can wait on me hand and foot while I carry our little bundle._

Hinata was speechless. She also felt bad about the comments she'd made to him. _Is it possible he was so adamant because of me rather than his skill?_

* * *

Hinata suspected nothing until the day before the triplets' first birthday, nearly two months to the day after Sasuke's departure. She woke with a strange yet somewhat familiar feeling. Shaking it off, she went to lift the triplets out of their cribs. They could stand up fully on their own now and could walk pretty well with an adult steadying them but had yet to take those first tentative steps on their own. _No rush_ their mother thought _you'll be running away from home soon enough._

Ino's pregnancy was coming right along. Appropriately for Ino, their due date was Valentine's day. She and Sai had just announced it publicly earlier in the month, once she was four months along. It really showed on the Yamanaka, though, because she'd always been so thin. Sai had proved an attentive if somewhat awkward father so far, sometimes inappropriately showing off her belly to strangers or random merchants.

Temari wasn't showing yet at only three months but Hinata had returned the favor of "hair-holder" while Temari vomited several times and Shikamaru was reported to sometimes be reluctant to return home. He had even, some said, taken e _xtra paperwork_ in favor of returning home when Temari was having a particularly moody day. Hinata had only been the brunt of a mood swing once and had stayed away from her friend on those days since.

She had just slipped on Yua's day dress when she felt a jerk of nausea in her stomach. She didn't make it back to the master bathroom either, instead spewing vomit in front of the bedroom door. She wanted to scream in frustration but wiped her mouth instead, cleaning up the mess as quickly as she could and then changing before reentering the triplets' room. That was one thing about them: they certainly knew how to entertain themselves.

She got all three of her children downstairs before she vomited again, this time making it to the guest bathroom behind the kitchen.

"Hmmm" she mused before hearing her children's gurgling increase. She reentered the living room to find all three standing on their own without furniture, holding hands as if holding one another up. Then, together, they all managed to make it almost halfway across the blanket. Unbidden, tears spilled down her cheeks. _Woah I'm a little emotional..._

It clicked. Her hands flew to her stomach. The triplets giggled and copied her movements, placing their hands on their bellies. This switch in position caused them to lose balance, though. Luckily, they tumbled over in laughter as they fell down.

Hinata's eyes activated. And, sure enough, she saw a picture similar to Ino's of two months ago.

 _It had to be on his birthday_ she recalled, blushing at the memory as she started breakfast. _Because my period had ended only the week before that and he was so busy those days we didn't..._

Thinking of Sasuke still hurt. Even though the mission was slotted for two months, she still feared the worst.

* * *

Her worst fears dissipated later that night. She had just stood up to put the triplets to bed when the door opened and a very blood-soaked but very alive Sasuke stumbled through the door.

"Hinata..." was all he could gasp out. She helped him to the couch, activated eyes scanning for serious injuries. He had hundreds of cuts all over every limb, even his ears looked sliced to ribbons. And his right side was lacerated so badly she could s _ee_ two of his ribs.

"What...how...why...the hospital?" she said, relieved he wasn't more hurt.

"You're more important" he replied, although going now might be a good idea. "I needed to see you..." he said, his head dizzy. She was scared but she didn't see any poison circulating his system. _Blood loss!_

She thought quickly, staunching the deeper and still flowing cuts with dish rags. _At least he's still conscious._

A small sound. Time seemed to freeze and both Hinata and Sasuke's eyes widened, locking on the triplets to discern which one the syllables had come from.

"Dada" repeated Hizashi, pointing with his tiny fingers. His siblings soon caught on and a chorus of gurgling, bubbly "Dada" filled the entire space.

Hinata, momentarily paralyzed, snapped out of it first and finished tightening the rag on his right arm. She was going to say something but then she saw tears streaming down Sasuke's face as the triplets quieted, likely getting sleepy, unaware of the effect their small syllables had on the great Avenger.

Hinata held his head against her chest in silence for nearly twenty minutes before his weight shifted. She realized he had finally passed out. She quickly put the triplets to bed, ensuring they would be safe within the nursery and, sighing, picked her husband up and winced only slightly under the weight. It felt awkward to be the one carrying him for once but he really needed to go to the hospital. _I've carried heavier._

It was moments like this that made her even more glad, as happy-go-lucky as the Akimichi was, that Karui was his wife and that she was not.

* * *

Sasuke woke with a jolt, the bright white room revealing his location undoubtedly as the Konoha hospital. _Funny, I thought I went home.._

Flashes came back to him. _Was that a dream?_

He pressed the call button and an older brunette nurse answered. "You don't know how nice it is that you'll actually stay put now, Uchiha-san" she said cheerfully.

"Would you like to see your wife?" she asked.

"Hinata's here? Yes" he said, settling back down since an IV was attached to his arm.

She appeared only seconds later, carefully carrying three triplets in front of her. They were happily half-dangling from their mothers arms.

Sasuke held his arms open for her to place the triplets in them but she shook her head and set the three down just inside the door. Confused, Sasuke looked at his wife and she pointed to them. "They have another surprise for you" she said, grinning.

They got the idea. Slowly, they took a step together. And then another. Then another.

Hinata suspected they had been practicing for at least a month when she wasn't looking because they were pretty steady. _Keeping secrets and banding against us already..._ _or perhaps they're walking prodigies, not surprising considering Sasuke's their father..._

She smiled as they reached their destination, their still somewhat-injured father scooping all three up into his arms at once and nearly bear-hugging them. Their peels of laughter rang off the walls and he kissed each one's forehead.

"I should be out of here by noon" he said, settling the three kids back on the floor to play. She came to sit at the end of his bed, placing her hand over hers and holding his gaze.

"They missed their "dada" " she whispered, unable to express her happiness at having him back home.

"I missed their "mama" too" he said. They were leaning into a quick kiss when a presence at the open door caused them both to jerk.

Standing there, pink hair and all, was Sakura. She took in the scene with a nonchalant air before passing on by the room.

Sasuke grabbed the back of his wife's head, pulling her into the kiss anyway, despite the missed moment.

It was brief, though, a "I'm glad you're back" kiss more than anything.

"Did I dream them chanting "dada" at me?" he asked her, grinning. She shook her head. "I carried you here after you passed out last night"

He frowned. "I would have been fine at home, why did you-"

His sentence was stopped when she put a finger to his lips. "Sasuke-kun, you'd lost almost half of the blood in your body. It's done and you're home. That's all that matters" she said, giving him a look that said it was the final word on the event.

"I have to go set up for the party now" she said, standing back up to corral the three little ones.

"Party?" he questioned. She grinned. It was very easy to lose track of time on missions, especially solo ones.

"You're invited, though I would say you've been the best present they could have asked for" she said, indicating the triplets. It dawned on Sasuke.

"They're...one" he said. _Had it really been a year since he'd witnessed their birth?_

She nodded in confirmation. "Already" she sighed, a little sad time seemed to go so fast.

"When you're discharged, the party is at the mansion" she informed, blowing him a short kiss before shutting the door.

Sasuke fell back on his bed, a little in disbelief that an entire year had passed since their birth. It also reminded him that he'd only been able to attend three midwifery classes before the mission.

"I may as well train privately with the Hokage" he decided, dozing off until his discharge two hours later.

* * *

Most of the ninja of Konoha (not on missions) were present at the babies' birthday party. Hinata had not allowed anyone but her family to bring gifts because "she did not want her kids spoiled and she did not want to have so much clutter."

Being the only recent babies among the Konoha ninja, they were the center of the party both literally (their play blanket was in the exact center of everything) and figuratively. Currently, Shino and Kiba were entertaining them by having all three ride on Akamaru and taking them around to visit different guests.

Sasuke showed up a little after two, freshly showered and only somewhat sore.

"I'm glad you're okay" she said, settling beside him on the bench. It was a strange thing to notice but Sasuke noticed Ino's stomach almost immediately.

He gently leaned over to whisper to Hinata: "I'm glad to see Ino is finally over that whole obsession with skinniness. It's disgusted me for years"

She giggled. "She's four months pregnant, Sasuke-kun"

He looked at her aghast. _She's going to be a mother?_

"In fact, Sasuke-kun, there are four pregnant women here today." she said, still whispering. "Let's see if you can guess who" she challenged, winking.

So Sasuke spent most of the party trying to figure it out. He already knew Temari and Ino. One of Hinata's cousins was very obviously about to have a baby and he found out that she was due the next week. _That's three._

By six, the triplets were worn out (to the relief of their parents) and most of the guests had begun to depart. Naruto, Shino and Kiba volunteered to take the decorations down so Hinata and Sasuke were left to carrying their sleeping children back to their bedroom.

They walked hand in hand to their bedroom, both a little worn out from the heat and the worry. The couple laid in bed and talked quietly and Sasuke finally said:

"Okay, I give up. Who was the fourth pregnant woman?" he asked, surprised when she rolled on top of him to straddle him. She couldn't be that far along, whoever she was.

"You know, Sasuke-kun" she said, leaning down to peck his lips and then his neck before stripping her top off and saying

"You're supposed to _receive_ presents on your birthday, not _give_ them" she teased, leaning back.

"And you certainly left something behind before you left" she said, pulling both of his hands to her barely-there belly. It was just a slight bump but still distinct from her flat stomach..the one Sasuke's hands knew so well.

His eyes widened. "You're-you're pregnant again?" he said as if it was the most unbelievable thing in the world. She nodded, smiling a toothy smile before continuing

"Only one baby this time, though, Sasuke-kun" she said, having seen it herself.

He winced at her weight, still a little sore from the mission.

She noticed and shifted immediately. "Don't worry, we can talk about the new baby later. For now, relax" she whispered.

"I'll do all the work" she said, grinning deviously.

 _I don't have much of a choice_ he realized. And Sasuke Uchiha was, for once, okay with that.

* * *

Yay! Time is going fast! And yes, I'm spoiling you with updates. Don't get used to it ;)

I just can't stop writing about them!

-Pi-chan! :)


	19. Chapter 19

Just because Cat Beats asked so nicely...I churned this out. But I seriously do NOT have the time to keep doing these sorts of updates. It's a slow week.

You've been warned.

* * *

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, even though I've completed the training with you-"

"You still don't feel prepared?" the blonde Sannin answered the brunette girl before her, namely one Sasuke Uchiha in disguise.

"Sakiko, how do you feel about shadowing me? There's an unusually high number of pregnant women at the moment. It's a great time to learn!"

Her expression didn't change but the Hokage noted a slight change in the color of her complexion.

"If you think it will help me prepare" she said finally.

 _Yes, it undoubtedly will_

* * *

Ino's baby shower was off to a good start. It was similar to Hinata's but the husbands rarely needed any encouragement to challenge one another and beat each other to a pulp. They'd set it on their anniversary to make the date special and easier to remember.

There were less ladies there since the Hyuuga cousins were absent but it was pleasant nonetheless.

Ino's sixth month belly already looked humongous on her thin frame but she carried it well, no more prone to outbursts than she normally was (which wasn't saying much but oh well). But she was experiencing immense decreases in libido (something many of the men outside guessed since Sai was unusually energetic). Temari was beginning to show more obviously at five months and her mood swings, though less than in the first months, still raged occasionally and she couldn't stop craving rice topped with strawberry sauce.

Hinata had yet to announce her pregnancy to the others and, though she was four months along, it was barely showing. She was also having trouble keeping food down more so this time than the last and had had her first pregnancy craving that had been absent with the triplets' pregnancy (and had resulted in Sasuke running to the store at midnight in his slippers during the first snow of the season to buy peanut butter and shrimp).

The chatter was going pleasantly with Ino babbling on about her symptoms.

Suddenly, Hinata saw her chance.

"Yes" she said, catching everyone's attention. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she said "It really is nice to have other women to be pregnant with this time around"

It took a few seconds but there were squeals.

"Already?"

"That was fast!"

" Congratulations!"

"How far along?"

Hinata thanked everyone, answering each in turn. "I am 16 weeks today" she said.

"Wow! You don't even look that heavy!' exclaimed Ino.

"Yes, well I'm not carrying three this time. Only one" replied Hinata. Ino nodded. "Oh, yeah! I bet that would make a difference"

Hinata subtly shifted the attention back on Ino; she didn't want to spoil Ino's day.

"Anyway, Ino-chan, when are you going to tell us the gender?" she asked, causing the majority of the eyes in the room to swivel back to the blonde.

Ino's smile grew. "Everyone open the envelopes I gave you at the beginning" she said, patting her belly as she watched.

Temari got hers open first. There was a beautiful pressed flower in each. "It's blue! A boy! Congratulations!"

The others got theirs open soon enough. "It's nothing fancy but I got each of you flowers that represent your personality to me" she said.

"Aw, Ino-chan that's actually...kind of sweet" said a young nurse Hinata didn't know.

"I can't believe you're having a boy and not a girl" exclaimed Temari.

"I know, me either. But he's sure to be the most handsome of his year" she said, grinning. It was then that the circle, almost simultaneously, noticed Tenten.

The brunette was biting back her sobs and tears were streaming down her face. _Tenten rarely cries. What-_

"E-Excuse me" she said quickly, running out of the room. Hinata followed her immediately out of concern. It took her a few minutes to find Tenten as Hinata's chakra senses were starting to fizzle out, but she eventually came upon her in a broom closet.

She crawled in with her. Tenten just sobbed harder.

Hinata said nothing for at least ten minutes, letting her friend cry it out. Tenten seemed surprised to see Hinata still there when she wiped the last tears away.

"Tenten-chan" Hinata said in a soft voice before hugging her. "If you don't want to tell me what's wrong you don't have to. But I want you to know that I'm here for you" she said. Her belly accidentally bumped the brunette and Tenten recoiled as if she'd been bitten.

"It's-just-so hard to be around-GO AWAY!" she yelled, bolting out of the front door.

Hinata sat back off her haunches, dumbfounded. _Tenten isn't one for outbursts...what was that all about?_

And if that wasn't bad enough, Sakura strolled in a few minutes later while they were still discussing what could be wrong.

"Sorry everyone, I didn't get off my shift until just now" she explained, setting her package on the gift table and settling between Temari and Ino.

It was a little awkward at first and Sakura outright ignored Hinata's presence but Temari and Ino recovered quickly.

Apparently Ino had known Sakura would be late and had told her the baby's gender earlier in the week.

"So Sakura-chan, are you seeing anyone" one of the other young nurses inquired. Sakura and Hinata's eyes met accidentally.

They brushed it aside quickly.

"No, not at the moment" she replied finally. The other girl went on "Oh, well Shin on the 4th floor's north ward, you know the dreamy one with auburn hair and blue eyes, I've seen him look at you a lot both when you are turned toward him and away..."

"Oh shut up Suzu-chan! You don't know what you're talking about! He's totally dating that blonde from 3rd south! Oh. What's her name? Ta-something. Plus, he only likes blondes. He was crushed when Ino-chan married Sai!"

"Oh, well then. What about-" she went on to list several other men whom Temari and Hinata did not know.

"No, they're all into the new girl" replied Yoshiko, a young blonde of 20.

"What new girl?" inquired Ino, having not worked many shifts at the hospital lately. She was starving for gossip.

"It's really not fair that someone can be so gorgeous" sighed Suzu.

"The Hokage's new apprentice. Her hair is brunette to her waist and her eyes are very dark. I need to ask her what she does to exercise because her backside shames most everyone else's..."

"Her name is Sakiko, I think. She was in a few of my midwife classes back in July but didn't come to all of them and never talked to anyone. I guess that's because the Hokage saw potential in her and started her personal training.

"Well, I'm not really interested in dating at the moment so they can like who they will" Sakura said. The younger girls rolled their eyes as if to say _yeah right, how can you not be interested in dating?_

* * *

All the men had noticed Sai's unusual gung-ho attitude about the spar and the married ones had guessed what it was from. _Damn, I'm glad Hinata doesn't have that symptom._ He could barely be in the same room with her without being turned on, let alone lay side by side with her at night and have her not be in the mood.

They had also noticed Lee's unusual lack of energetic outbursts; in fact, he seemed rather distant.

"Oi Sai, what did you do, take all Lee's energy away?" joked Kiba, earning a chuckle from those present.

Sai looked offended. "I did not! Look, here comes Tenten. She's a much more likely candidate than I am-"

The men turned to look. Sure enough, Tenten was racing toward them at an unprecedented speed. Sasuke tensed. _I hope everything's okay at the house._

 _"_ Tenten, everything's okay at the-" Chouji started to ask. But she raced right by, not even acknowledging the Akimichi.

Lee finally stopped her. "LEE, FUCKING LET ME GO. I CAN'T DO THIS RIGHT NOW" she shouted, shoving both his shoulders away and dashing off at an even quicker pace.

Silence reigned over the group; the others didn't know how to react. They'd never seen Tenten speak like that or react like that. And all were afraid. Something had to be bad for her to be like that.

Finally, Kiba spoke. "Oi, Lee, man what-"

"She lost the...our...baby last week" he replied solemnly, not even turning to look at the group.

The husbands with pregnant wives winced, their faces twisting. Even the single guys' heads fell.

 _I don't know how I'd go on..._

 _That's really affected their relationship..._

 _How do you cope?_

Surprising everyone, Sasuke was the first one to step forward. He gently clasped Lee's shoulder and whispered something the rest couldn't hear. Sai joined in soon and Shikamaru, rubbing the back of his head and resisting the urge to say "troublesome" went forward after Sai.

Soon, Lee was surrounded and comforted by his comrades. He didn't realize he needed it until it happened. Since Gai-sensei was gone on a long mission he hadn't been able to talk to anyone about it. Well, actually he'd talked to Neji about it the day after it happened. But he was even less of a help now when it came to emotions than he was in life, which Lee had once thought impossible. _Gai-sensei, friendship is such a beautiful thing!_

* * *

Sasuke closed the front door quietly behind him. They'd left Hanabi to babysit and could hear baby giggles coming from the living room.

Hinata had related Tenten's episode during the baby shower.

"Hinata" Sasuke said. His wife turned around, an inquiring look on her face. He explained the situation to her.

And he held her as she wept and became a puddle in his arms. There was even a grimace on his face as he practically felt her empathy radiating onto him.

 _Tenten-chan! I'm so sorry...I couldn't imagine...and being around all of us..._

A few minutes later, a small dark-haired head poked around the corner of the hallway. It was Hiraku, soon joined by his siblings.

"Mama K?" he asked worriedly. Yua and Hizashi looked equally interested but their faces hid their concern better.

Hanabi rounded the corner. "There you are, you little rascals. What caught-" she halted suddenly, having come upon the same scene. _What did that Uchiha do now?_

She didn't stop the triplets from dashing toward their parents soon enough and, though Hiraku tripped on the way, Yua and Hizashi were soon tugging at their parents' pant legs. Yua started to cry.

That caught Hinata's attention and she finally turned her face out from Sasuke's chest. Seeing her face calmed the three considerably.

"Go on, love" whispered Sasuke, too low for Hanabi to hear (plus she was preoccupied with Hiraku, who had fallen and, though uninjured, was wailing).

Hinata gently stroked her babies' foreheads before rushing up the stairs.

After watching her go, Sasuke bent down to his two eldest.

"Mommy is okay" he said in a tone he only used for his children. Their faces relaxed visibly. Anything daddy said could be trusted.

"But something very sad happened to one of mommy and daddy's friends" he explained, unsure of what they would be able to understand.

Yua and Hizashi considered his words for a few moments. They still looked a little confused.

"What happen?" asked Yua finally, her bird-like voice making Sasuke's lips almost curl into a smile. It was the longest sentence he'd heard yet and they were only 13 months old!

"They lost a baby" he said, choosing the simplest words he could think of.

Yua promptly started to cry which made Hiraku cry again. Ignoring his siblings, Hizashi experimented with his mouth for a few moments before forming the syllables

"No find?" Sasuke shook his head.

"Like, if mommy and daddy couldn't find you" he said, pointing to his eldest. Hizashi considered these words for a moment, sat down and joined his siblings in crying.

"Smooth" said Hanabi.

He arched an eyebrow in her direction, picking up all three kids and settling on the couch and hushing them softly.

Hanabi followed him and he explained the situation to her after the triplets had quieted down some.

Though her face didn't show it, Hanabi was saddened. They had been Neji's teammates after all.

"And with Hinata being the way she is, it hit her ten times as hard I think" commented Sasuke, shifting the triplets in his arms so they could all lay snugly against his chest while their weeping quieted.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean? You mean she isn't an unfeeling block of stone like you?" she said, challenging him.

His eyes flashed but he remained still. He'd forgotten Hinata was going to tell her sister when they got home.

"No, Hanabi" he said shortly. "I simply meant that _because she's pregnant again_ her hormones are already raging about and she is able to overly-empathize with Tenten" he said, noticing the toddlers in his arms had worn themselves out and were now falling asleep.

Hanabi's mouth shut. _Again. Already?!_

"I don't know what your problem is, dammit. I don't mistreat Hinata. I don't abuse her. I am not using her for selfish reasons..."

Hanabi snorted. "as if that's all marriage is about. What you _don't_ do..."

Quick as a flash, Sasuke was upstairs and settling the triplets into their cribs. Then he was back downstairs.

"Look Hanabi, I don't know what the hell your problem is. Your sister and I are married and we have been for almost 3 years now" he said, his own disbelief ringing through in his tone.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it, Uchiha" she snapped back, not backing down easily. He growled in frustration.

"You don't have to. How would you even know what marriage is all about?"

She quieted.

"That's what I thought. Look, I'm not perfect. If there's anything these last 3 years have taught me it's that. And no, I don't deserve someone like Hinata. She's caring. She's sweet. She looks out for others. She's basically the soft side I didn't have for a really long time but I'm doing my best" he said, heating up.

"And I am sick and tired of having you, Temari, Kiba and whoever-the-hell-else running me down behind my back, questioning my motives and jumping at every even slightly suspicious movement when I've done nothing to deserve it"

The younger girl had stepped back now, wary of the red in his eyes.

"I provide for her. I help her with the children the best I can. I care for her. I try to understand her. I am gentle with her. I _love_ her-"

Sasuke's voice cut off sharply and he nearly reached up to cover his mouth.

Hanabi's expression transitioned from a little frightened, to shock, to satisfaction in an incredibly small amount of time.

"GET OUT!" Sasuke finally shouted, keeping it down a little bit because of the sleeping toddlers. _She goaded me on purpose, damn that girl._

"Whatever you say, _Sasuke"_ she said, allowing him to catch a glimpse of her smirk before turning around. _He may not be you, Neji, but he's taking care of Hinata-neechan pretty well._ Hanabi decided, leaning her head back to star gaze on her walk home.

* * *

Sasuke was fuming until he reached the bedroom door. Then he remembered Hinata.

He opened the door gently. Hinata was sitting on the edge of the bed, seemingly having showered and was brushing her hair over one shoulder, in a trance and not getting much accomplished.

Sasuke didn't know what to do. _I'm not in love with her...am I?_

"Here, let me" he said softly, shutting the door and striding over to settle behind her. _You damn well are. You just offered to brush her hair of all things!_

His voice seemed to bring her back to reality. She didn't protest and handed him the brush, adjusting to settle on his lap. Ignoring his hardness, he pulled her hair back over her shoulder and smoothed it out before beginning to brush it.

She sighed a deep sigh, closing her eyes. They didn't share words until Sasuke was over half way done with her hair.

"I like long hair, you know" he said, admiring the indigo waterfall before him. She "mmm" ed in response.

"I remember Sakura and Ino talking about it when we were younger" she said.

Silence again until he was done and set the brush on the bed next to him. His arms came around her to cradle her stomach between his palms and he dug his face into her hair, inhaling her scent.

Her hands settled on top of his. "Sasuke-kun, I-I'm scared" she admitted suddenly. His grip tightened.

"I-If it happened to Tenten-chan, it could happen to anyone. Wh-what if..." fresh tears were forming in her eyes.

"Then I will stand by you and help you heal" he said finally, turning her toward him. She clung to him.

"Shhhh. It's okay. The Hokage said this baby was right on schedule" he reminded her. She quieted a little later and he leaned her back.

"Don't be scared" he said, feeling a little anxious himself.

She managed a smile. "You either" she said, guessing his inner thoughts.

"I-I..." she blushed, her eyes falling to his legs before looking up again.

"I'm...glad that I am bearing _your_ children, Sasuke-kun" she said softly, tugging on her bottom lip slightly with her teeth.

He was truly touched. "I wouldn't want another to bear my children, Hinata-chan"

Her blush was immediate but he could tell she was returned her smile, leaning to peck her on the lips. _I'm such a pervert. She's sitting here crying and I am still...her robe is falling open..._

Sure enough, the lavender maternity robe that only tied just above the stomach had shifted and he could see a good portion of her right breast. He licked his lips subconsciously. _It's been almost a week._

She didn't seem to notice the change in his train of thought yet, though. He felt so shy all of a sudden. _I've initiated sex with her countless times...why does this feel so different?_

Her voice tugged him out of his stream of thought.

"Sasuke-kun, I asked whether you wanted a boy or a girl this time" she said, a little curious about his wandering mind.

"What were you thinking about?" she asked.

A blush. "I-I-I...nothing" he said, averting his gaze from hers by looking to the side while a faint blush appeared on his cheeks.

She tilted her head to the side and he almost came undone. _Why the hell does she look so cute tonight? I mean she's always cute but this is..._

Damn, he could even feel his heart beat faster and faster. _The hell is this?_

"Sasuke-kun, are you sure everything's okay?" she asked again, her eyes lit up with confusion and concern.

He jumped. "Sex...with you...I mean if you want to...I mean..." _You sound like a babbling, inexperienced idiot. What's the matter with you?_

Now her eyes were lit with understanding but they soon grew into a milky white. The color that displayed her arousal. _He's still acting strange._

"Why didn't you say so?" she inquired, backing off of him to stand. Then she pulled the single tie in her robe and the garment was on the floor.

"Sasuke-kun, you're trembling..." she said, observing his shaking. He seemed paralyzed so she took a step toward him, expecting him to reach out and take control.

But he didn't. He even seemed to almost scoot back when she stood just before him. He was struck by how beautiful she really was.

His eyes were preoccupied with her breasts, as if he was seeing them for the first time.

She didn't know how to handle this. She'd been on top but and she'd certainly initiated it but he almost always battled her for control and touched her almost incessantly.

Finally, he shook his head as if coming out of a trance. "It's just, I realized that I...I...love you. Deeply. And I don't quite know how to handle it"

As the unspoken, seemingly forbidden l-word passed over her eardrums and registered in Hinata's mind, she started crying and flung herself onto his lap.

 _I should tell her I love her more often_ he decided before being swept of into their world.

* * *

"Thanks for coming over to help, Temari-chan, Ino-chan" said Hinata. The three were seated around the Uchiha's kitchen table, slaving away at decoration making.

"But the guest list has almost doubled in size, almost 300 people in addition to those from Konoha are coming and I can't do this alone anymore, especially since I'm so fatigued with this pregnancy. You'd think I would've been more so with triplets but I guess not" she said, yawning.

"No problem. What else would we do since we can't go on missions?" replied Temari, fiddling with some ribbon. Though she kept it toned down, Temari was damn sick of being in Konoha; she was going stir crazy, especially without her chakra.

"Sounds like an awesome shindig" said Ino, desperately fighting some wrapping paper.

They chatted for a little while.

"Yes, Shikamaru and I finally find out the gender on Monday. I'm well past 20 weeks but Shikamaru's been gone so much on missions and liaison outings and I would hate to find out without him...he's seen Gaara more than I have these past few months"

"I think it's going to be a girl" said Ino. "He's always said he'd have a girl first, you know. And he's usually right"

Temari smirked. "It's a boy. I'm very confident of that fact" she replied. "He was wrong about his type of wife after all, right?"

Temari and Ino bickered for a few more minutes. Hinata laughed, trying to keep her mind off the fact that Sasuke would miss their anniversary and maybe even the Christmast party on the 22nd. She'd never envisioned greeting everyone alone. _But at least the mission is only A rank and is with Shikamaru and Sai. They'll look out for each other._

"Did you hear me Hinata-chan?"

"No, I'm sorry Ino-chan. What were you saying?"

"What do you think this kid of yours is going to be?"

"Well, we won't find out until the birth again. But I'd like a little sister for Yua. I'll be happy either way though and this isn't our last one so..." she said, blushing.

The other two grinned.

"So, tell us what most of the female (and some of the male) ninja world has been dying to know: what's it like to get it on with _the_ Uchiha Sasuke" said Ino. Hinata knew it was no longer about anything other than pure curiosity; Ino was mad about her "Sai-kun"

"I-I-I like it" was all she could think to reply, her blush deepening.

Ino gently patted Hinata's tummy. "Obviously" she joked and they all laughed. Hinata was surprised this topic hadn't come up before. She'd always assumed people were either to envious or too afraid to ask her about it.

"I don't really want to share anything other than that" she said, changing the topic of conversation.

Ino respected her wish but made it known that many were insanely curious, herself included.

* * *

Hinata felt ugly. She was wearing a deep crimson maternity kimono and her fifth month belly just made her look fat, not pregnant. And she couldn't get her hair to cooperate. And her eyeliner looked horrid. _At least Sasuke is back._ Her husband had only returned early this morning.

She finally screamed in frustration, which caused her children to look up from their place on the master bedroom's floor where they had been playing while their parents got dressed. They could sense something and their mom had told them they were having a "party" but they had no way of knowing what to expect.

Suddenly, Sasuke's hands rested on her shoulders. "You look lovely" he said, reaching for her necklace. She turned on him.

"No I don't. I hate this. I look terrible and my hair won't stay and..."

His soft kiss silenced her. "Just fix your eyeliner a little bit and I'll try to wrestle with the nest on top of your head" he teased, ignoring her soft protests. His gentleness toward her had become more pronounced since his declaration of love.

He actually ended up making her hair look not that bad at all and she'd ended up putting her eyeliner on thicker than normal to hide the error but she decided it looked fine.

"Okay, I think I'm ready"

"Good, and with five minutes to spare" he said. They'd already taken precautions with the triplets and had agreed they would put them to bed after dinner.

Hinata didn't feel as if she was as amiable a hostess as the previous party. Her guests were none the wiser, however, and the splendor of the golden-adorned mansion awed all in attendance.

Another difference was that, this year, the guests brought gifts. A Water country nobleman gifted Sasuke with some very fine, rare furs. Another wealthy merchant from the Land of Tea presented the Uchiha patriarch with a hundred black silk scrolls and golden ink to write with on them. (Neither knew it at this time but those scrolls, eventually sealed with a blood red " **忠"** (loyalty), would become famous trademarks of the reestablished Uchiha clan.)

Hinata wasn't left without presents. The noblewomen showered her with gifts, among them a lovely comb fashioned from smoothed rocks found at the bottom of a famous river, black earrings made from special stones mined in Mountain country, and a Wind country noblewoman even slyly slipped her some gorgeous and obviously expensive lingerie.

But no one was as showered with attention, affection, awe or presents as the triplets. Sasuke had sent out announcements of their birth, as custom among the noble clans both for congratulatory purposes and the possibility of arranged marriages in the coming years.

The triplets were all dressed in golden kimonos to greet the guests. Sasuke held both boys who already received comments on their handsomeness and resemblance to their famous father (though most agreed their mother was visible in their features as well). Hinata held Yua, whose blend of her parents' features was commented the most on by the noblewomen. ("You can see both of you so well yet neither of your features is very distinct!")

The triplets were a little bit shy, Hiraku most of all, at meeting so many strangers at once. They settled down at dinner though and were unusually quiet.

"Do you think this was too much for them?" Hinata leaned over to whisper to Sasuke between the second and third course.

He observed his children for a few moments before replying "No, I think they're alright" and continuing his conversation with the daimyo of Mountain country's representative.

"An excellent meal again, Uchiha-san" called out a nobleman from the end of the long main table. He'd been in attendance two years ago. "Are we to thank your lovely wife once more?"

Sasuke grinned, standing to acknowledge his guests. "Yes, she planned all the recipes in use tonight. However, many of her cousins in the Hyuuga clan are to thank for the large amount prepared. My wife is 5 months along in her pregnancy with our fourth child and so was not up to such a large task herself"

Congratulations and applause erupted both for Hinata's choice in food, her cousins, and her pregnancy.

Hinata's blush was evident. "Now, if you'll excuse my wife and I for a moment, we must put our children to bed. So bid them farewell"

The crowd did not want to part with the little darlings but the triplets snuggled against their parents on the way up the stairs, quite glad to be away from such an overwhelming crowd.

The rest of the night was uneventful, Sasuke retiring with the men again while three noblewomen stayed up to chat with a tired Hinata about babies and this or that.

"I cannot believe you're only almost 20 and already pregnant with your fourth child! Of course you had triplets but still...you carry it so well!"

"But you've given up your ninja way of life, of course" the oldest woman of the group threw in.

Hinata's eye twitched. "Actually, no. I completed over 30 missions between January and September of this past year"

"But that must put such a strain on your children! Perhaps you have a nanny or teacher that schools them full time-no, it still must be too much to bear: to be parted from them"

Hinata was done with the melodromatic shit. "No, actually. I love my children dearly but I also quite enjoy serving my village. The missions will continue until I am either dead or too disabled with age to be of use" she stated, looking her challenger directly in the eye. Her ire had been stirred. Her hormones swirled in her veins. And her tiredness detached her care for civility.

The other woman dismissed it to youthful ignorance which Hinata was glad to let it drop with. _Sasuke needs these connections_ she reminded herself.

When the older woman retired, Hinata was left with two girls closer to her in age with one being 25 and the other being 27.

"So let's talk about interesting things now" suggested the 25 year old, whose name Hinata vaguely recalled as being Tomomi. Her husband was 10 years her senior while the other woman, Natsuka, her husband was 15 years her senior.

"Sorry, we like to wait until the old broad goes to bed" Natsuka explained, grinning. These two obviously knew each other from previous interactions.

They proceeded to prattle on about the attractive men at the party.

"Who was the brunette, Hinata-san, you know the one with the fang-like smile?" asked Tomomi.

"Kiba?" she asked, having spaced out. "What about him?"

"Oh, it's not fair! You _know_ him? Konoha seriously has the sexiest men. Do you know if he's for hire?" she asked so nonchalantly that Hinata thought they were talking about mission commission.

"I mean, all Konoha's ninja are for hire..."

The two exploded into giggles. "No, not for a mission. You know, for bedroom service" she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

The change in Hinata's expression made the woman add quickly "but if he's one of yours, and I don't blame you if that's true, then I won't touch him. But surely not _all_ of the men tonight can be on your retainer. What about that blonde one, the war hero?"

"I don't have a "retainer" " she replied, a little aghast at their manners.

"Oh, no of course you don't" Tomomi replied, rolling her eyes. "You can give up the act now. The traditional snob is gone"

"And if it's not an act?" Hinata asked seriously, her tone hardening.

It was the others' turn to be shocked. "Surely your husband and you don't screw enough to keep you satisfied. Though it might be different with your husband. He has to have incredible stamina with all that ninja training..."

"And we wouldn't blame you for wanting just him. Just his body with clothing is enough to keep all the noblewomen in this house wet for a month. I can't imagine what seeing him without clothing must do..." her voice trailed off dreamily.

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't fantasize about my husband" Hinata snapped, standing a little awkwardly. "I am turning in now, I hope you ladies have a pleasant evening"

They looked confused, eventually chocking it up to pregnancy hormones.

* * *

Hinata's furious scowl surprised her husband who had beaten her back to the bedroom this year.

"What's the matter?" he inquired.

"Women make me sick" she spat, throwing her shoulder shawl on the floor and kicking it in a display of pure rage.

"What did they say?" he asked,starting to rub her shoulders. She explained and he listened attentively. Her reaction pleased him more than she could ever know.

She felt the kiss between her shoulder blades.

"You know, I've always wondered what seeing me without clothing does to you" he said. Her rage was channeled into passion almost instantaneously.

"Oh dear. I...I've seem to have forgotten. Could you remind me...please?" she asked, leaning her head back to look up at him.

Her playfulness surprised him. _Sometimes mood swings can be a good thing._

* * *

Hinata wore the baggiest clothes possible, made her most delicious snacks and left the triplets with their aunt Hanabi, who honestly preferred them to clan duties any day. She was going to see Tenten and hoped it wouldn't go too terribly. She'd let a month pass since the baby shower and hoped to express her grief and sorrow in a helpful, empathetic way.

Lee surprised her by opening the door. "Why, hello Hinata-san! It's a pleasure to see you as always. Come in" he said, letting her inside. She explained her reason for being there as gently as possible.

"Things are somewhat improved since that day. I am sorry about her reactions but it was very hard for her"

"I can imagine" said Hinata, hanging her head in sadness.

"That's what we always appreciated about you, Hinata-san. You're always so understanding. And when I say "we" I mean our team: Tenten, me and Neji"

She hadn't heard his name in a while, not being around the Hyuuga manor a whole lot, she jerked, nearly dropping the tray of food.

"I still miss him, Hinata-san. Though the pain isn't quite as stinging as before"

She'd never had such a serious talk with Lee before.

There was a solemn silence before Lee retrieved Tenten. She joined Hinata in their front room and Lee left them alone.

"I'm so glad being married to Sasuke has turned out so well for you" she said honestly, recalling the day when the Uchiha had chosen the Hyuuga over her.

Hinata nodded. "More than I could have ever thought. Anyway, I brought all this for you. I am sorry about that day at the party. It's just-I- I am hurting so much for you, Tenten-chan that I can't express it.

Tenten smiled a sad but thankful smile before hugging her friend. "You've always been there for all of us, Hinata-chan" she said.

They chatted only a little longer before Tenten stood. "I'm sorry, but I have to go train. We should have tea sometime" she said, hugging Hinata once more.

"I'm not going anywhere" said Hinata gently. Tenten grinned. "Good, next week then"

* * *

At first, Sasuke had felt strange about trailing after the Hokage for 8 hours. But he soon realized that his disguise was working well and none of the pregnant women seemed to think anything was amiss. _But hell, if she works just me this hard I cannot imagine actually training with this woman Sakura...you were such a wimp when I left..how did you survive?_

On their last stop of the day, Sasuke was surprised to see Ino in the room they entered. _Oh no_

"Ino, this is Sakiko my new assistant"

Ino smiled down at the seemingly younger girl and even put her hand on the girl's forehead, giving a warm smile and recalling discussions of her at the party. _She is quite lovely._

"Hello Sakiko-chan" she said affectionately. Then she turned to the Hokage and asked "Does she have as much potential as Sakura?"

The Hokage grinned. "Probably. But for now, she's just on the midwife track"

Ino started on the recent developments of her pregnancy and Sasuke learned more about Ino's body and sex life than he had ever wanted to know.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sakiko-chan. Does my talking about sex bother you?" she asked, noticing the young brunette's blush. Sakiko shook her head shyly, trying to stay in character. _Thank you, Hinata, for not having a four month dry spell during pregnancy._

"It's something she'll have to learn if she wants to be a midwife" said Tsunade, her hands roaming Ino's stomach.

"Okay, you look just fine for being 8 months along. Did you have any other questions?"

Sasuke zoned out at this part, not wanting to hear much more.

"Good. Sakiko-chan, your shift is over and you can head home"

Sasuke couldn't bolt out of there quick enough. It was just after dark when he headed for home and he was taking a short cut, still in disguise, when a noise caught his attention.

Suddenly, three men of a rough crowd surrounded him.

"Seen you with the Hokage. You important or something? Or another of her rats?" the tallest one asked, tugging Sakiko's hair gently.

"She's awful pretty" said another, his index finger stroking her pale cheek. _You have got to be kidding me. I bet just uttering my real name would make you wet yourselves._

The third one took a step forward, reaching for the collar of her shirt. "I bet she looks even better wet and without her clothes on"

"You sure are quiet" the tallest said again, egging "her" on.

"Ain't you scared? Or maybe you want it..."

"Do you really want to anger Sasuke Uchiha?" she asked sweetly. That backed all three up but, lust clouding their judgement, decided her statement was a bluff.

The Sharingan was already activated when a voice broke the tension.

"OI! What do you think you're doing?"

 _Oh for the love of-not here. Not now. I had them. LET ME HAVE THEM._ He'd truly been looking forward to the look on their faces when his transformation dissipated.

The three recognized the voice instantly and high tailed it out of there, leaving Naruto to approach the young brunette. He gently placed an arm around her shoulders, stooping to look her in the eyes.

"You can't be more than 16" he said, anger filling his blue eyes. "15" she replied, not meeting Naruto's eyes.

"I'll be right back, you stay here" _Damn, Naruto, I had it taken care of!_

Naruto wasn't gone five minutes before he returned. "You won't have to worry about them anymore. I'm sorry they said such things to you"

He mistook her silence for fear. "Don't worry. I'm not like them, you don't have to worry. My name's Naruto. What's yours?"

"S-Sakiko" she replied quickly.

"Oh, that's a pretty name!" he exclaimed, his familiar grin falling over his face.

"Can I walk you home?" he asked, offering his arm. _Jeez Naruto when did you become so gallant?_

He took it as gingerly as possible. _At least he'll never know. I will never let him know._

* * *

Ino's labor started early in the morning on Valentine's day and her yells woke up half of Konoha.

 _Please, Ino-chan. I delivered 3 and didn't even complain this much_ Hinata thought as they gathered in the waiting room, much like the others had been done for her.

Shikamaru looked pale, an indication that he was nervous of Temari going into labor which was to happen sometime within the next month or so.

 _I'll be the one in a the hospital, in a full body cast too. How troublesome._

Ino's labor was a little shorter than Hinata's, lasting only 9 hours. At 3:36pm on February 14th, Akihiko Yamanaka entered the world with blonde hair and dark eyes at 18.5 inches long and 7lbs and 4oz. Sai actually cried.

Hinata squeezed Sasuke's hand as Sai announced the news and the name. _Yeah,_ thought Sasuke, _I'm ready to do this again_

* * *

Though Sasuke had been telling Hinata that his long shifts shadowing the Hokage were spars or other various clan-related things, he knew he couldn't keep it up for much longer. They were almost at an end, though.

Sakura had now heard of Sakiko from Ino and decided to get to know the new girl and her likely soon-to-be fellow student.

Ino had described the girl, over the bawling of her new baby boy who was already determined to be the center of attention in every respect, as "young, maybe 15, reserved but a look of fierce determination"

Sakura had glimpsed her shadowing her master while on shift at the hospital and had to agree. Plus, the young woman was gorgeous. She'd caught several of the male nurses scanning as the young girl walked past, completely attentive to the Hokage in front of her.

The girl reacted a little oddly when Sakura asked her to lunch. "No, really. I just want to get to know you Sakiko-chan. Lunch will be my treat" she said winking.

 _Damn it. Fate is just determined to make me go on a date with this pink haired ninny._

"Really? Thank you so much, Sakura- sensei!" she exclaimed.

"Good, we'll go to Ichiraku's at noon. See you then" she said, waving as she entered a patient's room. _You have got to be kidding me._

It wasn't too awkward and Sasuke's training with Orochimaru about making up background stories on the spot came in handy.

"What made you interested in being a midwife?" Sakura asked, enjoying her conversation with this young girl.

"My mother died in childbirth with my younger sister and I...I guess I sort of just want to prevent that from happening to anyone else" she said. _Damn, I'm a good liar._

Sakura's hand rested on hers out of sympathy. _Too good._

At that moment, Naruto happened to walk by. _I'm always in the mood for Ichiraku's, I guess._ In his classic style, he blinked before running up to Sakiko.

"H-Hey! It's you-Sakiko, right? It's me, Naruto! I walked you home the other night and-" he went off on a very long-winded rant.

"It's nice to see you again, Naruto-san" she replied before witnessing the greeting between his two former teammates.

It was cool but still better than the last time he'd seen them.

"She's Tsunade-senpai's new apprentice" Sakura informed, smiling at Sakiko.

"Wha-? You mean she's going to learn to hit like you? But Sakura, she's much more delicate and I don't think she could handle-"

The glint in Sakura's eye told Naruto he'd overstepped his bounds.

"N-Not that you're not feminine. Oh look, I need to talk to Kakashi-sensei. Goodbye!" he said, winking at Sakiko before dashing off to corner the gray-haired man.

 _You've got to be kidding me. Naruto is not attracted to me. My best friend is not trying to hit on me in girl form. This is not happening..._

"Sorry about him, Sakiko-chan!" Sakura said, turning her attention back toward the brunette.

"He's a little silly sometimes but he'll make a great Hokage!"

"That's...oh! That's _the_ Naruto! I see now!" said Sakiko, trying to avoid the topic. Sakura nodded. "We were part of the same team"

"I know. With Uchiha Sasuke, right?" _May as well do some digging_

Sakura didn't react. "Yes, and we still have missions as a team from time to time"

A few minutes later, Sakiko noticed Sakura's attention wasn't fully on her. She turned to see Hinata coming up the main thoroughfare. _Probably out shopping for vegetables. She doesn't look bundled enough..._

The triplets were in tow and Sakiko admired the scene for a few moments before turning to look at Sakura again. Her green eyes were awash with a mix of sadness and yearning, perhaps a little envy.

"What are you looking at, Sakura-sensei?" Sakiko asked innocently.

The pinkette jerked. "No-nothing" before smoothing down her nurse uniform. "So tell me more about you, Sakiko-chan. Do you have a boy in your life?"

 _Why do girls always fall on this topic?_

"Yes, but I'm not really allowed to say who" she replied. _Mainly because I don't want you running to every guy that happens to have any name I pick and interrogating them._

"Oh, come on! You can trust me!" she exclaimed but Sakiko was adamant.

"Very well then. I should get back to the hospital" Sakura said, paying the bill.

"I am meeting someone. So I will go this other way. Goodbye Sakura-san and thank you for lunch!" the young girl bolted away so quickly she dropped her hospital badge.

The brunette had turned down an alleyway and Sakura was running to catch up to her. She halted, nearly toppling over.

The only person in the alleyway was him. Uchiha Sasuke.

" _I am seeing someone but I really can't talk about it"_ it clicked. Sakura understood and, for once, turned in the opposite direction of her long time crush.

* * *

Sasuke looped back around to meet Hinata and the triplets for tea, his unusually amused mood catching Hinata's attention.

"Later" he said, smirking.

The triplets accompanied them to Hinata's 8 month check up. Her due date was April 15th and she was finally rounding out nicely.

The Hokage grinned as the triplets ran around the office, causing chaos for Shizune. _Damn, they're gonna be something great_

"Mama, color?" asked Yua, observing the strange colored chakra the blonde woman was using on their mother's belly.

Hinata smiled. "The Hokage is checking on the new baby, Yua-chan" she replied. This satiated her curiosity and she joined her brothers in chasing Tonton around, having gotten quite good over the last few months at using their legs.

"You're in excellent condition! Hinata, will you want to give birth in the hospital again or at home?"

Hinata hadn't really thought about it. The mansion would be nice but to make the Hokage come all the way out there...

"A home birth would be nice, I think" she said. Most ninja avoided the hospital if they could.

"But I would hate to have you come all the way out there" she admitted. The Hokage shook her head.

"It's not a problem. You could also always find a midwife" she said, her gaze meeting Sasuke's for the briefest second. Hinata didn't notice, as she was now running after the triplets who had somehow managed to set Tonton's tail on fire.

After the chaos had settled for a little while, Hinata replied "I think it's a little late in this pregnancy. Perhaps in the next one..."

The Hokage nodded. "It's up to you. I will let you and Sasuke discuss it for a while and you can notify me next week" she said.

When they returned home, Hinata was exhausted from corralling the triplets all day. So, Sasuke fixed a bath for her and encouraged her to take a break while he had a thirty minute play time with the triplets before getting them ready for bed and tucking them in.

"Dada" said Hiraku as his father strode toward the door. The Avenger answered the little voice immediately.

"Yes, Hiraku?" he inquired.

" Baby ok?" he asked, his head sleepily nodding against the pillow.

"Yes, the baby is okay and will be here in a few weeks" he replied. This satisfied his youngest and Sasuke shut the door, double checking the precautions on the room.

 _It's about time to bring Ahota back._

He found a naked, pregnant wife trying to slide into her pajamas and having some difficulty.

"Don't" he said softly, moving toward her and placing her on the edge of the bed.

His massage was thorough and she felt a thousand times less tense when she laid down a half hour later. Sasuke kissed her belly softly, just over the belly button and then pecked her on the lips.

"You've had a long day. Go to sleep"

She didn't need a lot of convincing and he could discern her soft snoring after ten minutes. He stood quietly, heading into the woods behind the mansion.

Two pairs of eyes watched solemnly as he departed. _The rumors are true_ they both thought simultaneously.

There would be rough months ahead.

* * *

BAM! Woohoo! Look at that, so many words in less than a week! *Look at me and my bad self. Does llama dance*

So, predictions on the new baby? on the ShikaTema baby? DUN DUN DA

Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds Sasuke as Sakiko hilarious

-Pi-chan :)


	20. Chapter 20

Ugh. Finally.

First things first- Yes, I am quite aware of what Sasuke's summon's name is. Ahota is not the same snake and he is not a summons. To be explained later.

Secondly-sorry for the delay. I know where this story is going; it's just getting there that's the problem.

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ you risked the anger of the Uchiha clan!"

"It's not a clan, yet. Sure, they're are three brats now but they'll still be defenseless for a few more years-"

"I don't care. Sasuke Uchiha is enough of a threat in himself, not to mention also stirring the wrath of the Hyuuga. It was Hiashi's _pregnant_ daughter that was attacked after all. And _they_ are certainly a clan and a numerous one at that, even after the war"

"And furthermore, what did you gain but to put them on even higher guard? Sure, the Uchiha's wife will be pregnant again soon enough but their defenses-all of Konoha's-will be heightened. They have powerful friends too that would not think twice about protecting the triplets. Or do you have plan to handle Sharingan Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto and not to mention the rest? Dammit, you really blew it with sending in such a weak team"

"I was trying to get a reading on their precautions-"

"And you got very little info back because all three men were annihilated. Even now, I'm sure their precautions change at least every couple months. If I were you, I'd forget about dismantling the Uchiha clan. They've had enough tragedy. I don't know what you hope to gain-"

"Those triplets will be a fearsome threat when they become fully fledged ninja, especially if they're placed in the same team. I can see it now "The Bloody Three" or something like that is what they'll be called. They cannot be allowed to grow up-"

"Forget it. Like I said, you'd have to risk a hell of a lot to even get into Konoha now. And, heaven forbid, any one of those ninja catch you headed toward the Uchiha mansion. This conversation is over"

The brunette man crossed his arms, pouting as his confidant strode away. _That didn't go as planned._

* * *

Hinata greeted Ahota warmly the next morning.

"Another little one, mistresss Hinata?"

She nodded. "Yes, only one this time though, Ahota"

The snake grinned before departing the master bedroom. Hinata was going to follow him but Sasuke stopped her, snagging her hand.

"There's something I'd like to speak with you about before it gets any later" he said, sitting her down on the bed. She listened attentively to his story, giggling at the thought of him attending midwife classes and being very moved by his willingness to do something so out of character for his clan.

He even transformed into Sakiko for her and showed her his hospital badge. She couldn't stop laughing.

He crossed his arms before the transformation dissipated. "What's so funny?"

"All of the male nurses think you're hot, just so you know" she said, her giggling trailing off. Sasuke grimaced.

"All the girl nurses at Ino's baby shower were talking about how envious they were of you. And about how all the male nurses check you out as you walk by-"

"Okay, okay. Enough!" he said, cheeks dusted with red. "And about having lunch with Sakura..."

She put a finger to his lips. "I trust you. And I want to thank you for this wonderful surprise. I'll be so much more comfortable at home and with you!" she exclaimed, hugging him.

He hugged her back. " I just have another two weeks of delivery training and then I'll be certified"

"Just in time" she replied, a smile tugging at her lips as she kissed him and made her way to the triplets' room. They were being introduced to Ahota this morning.

Before noon, he was giving them rides around the living room on his back and their hoorays echoed throughout the manor.

 _Just like their father, they aren't apprehensive about his being a gigantic snake at all._

* * *

Shikamaru went out of his way to ask Sasuke for "troublesome" advice concerning the delivery. Temari's due date was very soon and Sasuke could tell how nervous the Nara man truly was. He gave him all the advice he could.

Shikamaru listened attentively. Whispers had reached his ears of Sasuke's almost assured unfaithfulness with the Hokage's new nurse. He had carefully steered Temari out of the way of the rumors over the last few days. He knew the rumors were not wide-spread yet, only within their circle of friends.

Shikamaru didn't know what to believe. Watching how doggedly attentive the Uchiha was to Hinata, it was hard to believe someone could lure him away from her.

But then again, when had hurting others ever come between Sasuke Uchiha and getting what he wanted?

As the conversation ended, Shikamaru decided to speak with Shino and Kiba before confronting the Uchiha. He didn't want Kiba to rush at Sasuke head-on and risk angering the Uchiha.

Something also nagged at Shikamaru. _Sasuke is a master of stealth. If he were having an affair, I just don't think he'd be caught this easily. Or be stupid enough to meet the other woman in a public alleyway._

He shrugged it off, thanking the Uchiha.

"By the way" Sasuke said. Shikamaru turned back around.

"Did you find out which gender you're having?"

Shikamaru smirked. "Girl. Temari's furious"

Sasuke suppressed his grin but the corners of his mouth upturned slightly.

"Later then"

* * *

Hinata was on her way to visit Temari, whom she hadn't seen in a few days. The blonde was four days overdue and getting impatient.

She and Temari had had many conversations about birth over the past few weeks. She knew Temari was more nervous than she let on. Hinata wasn't too worried. Temari had wide hips and a no-nonsense attitude when it came to pain. She also giggled, thinking about how Temari still swore the child was a boy even after the ultrasound.

She was bringing fresh peaches and was a little worried when her friend didn't answer her on the fourth knock. _I know Shikamaru is out with Sasuke and Naruto._

She tried the handle and, to her surprise, the door came open.

"Temari-chan?" she queried. A groan from the bedroom.

"H-Hinata? PLEASE HELP!"

Temari's tone urged Hinata's pregnant form as fast as she could go at 8 months pregnant (she herself was a mere 3 weeks away from her due date of April 15th).

"What's-"

Hinata blushed as she found her friend on the bed, naked from the waist down.

"B-baby's coming...can't wait..." the blonde panted, groaning as another contraction seized her.

"How long have you-"

"About three hours. Shikamaru left and they were light but they just suddenly-UGH!"

Hinata had listened to Sasuke talk about class but she had no idea how to check dilation. She shook off the embarrassment she felt, rolled up her sleeves and helped Temari's legs stay open as she pushed.

"How long have you been pushing?" she asked.

"A-About thirty minutes. FUCK THIS HURTSSSSS" she said, writhing.

"Shhh calm down" Hinata soothed. She helped Temari again and again for the next fifteen minutes.

Unsure of what she was doing, she rushed into the bathroom for some sanitizer before blushingly inserting her fingers to feel for the baby's head.

"It's a little ways away but I can feel it, Temari-chan!" she exclaimed.

A little more pushing and she could tell her friend was getting discouraged.

"Where's Shikamarruuuu?" she whined, bearing down again.

"He'll be back soon" she replied. _WHAT are those men doing? I didn't think they were going to spar very long today!_

"Would you like to try a different position?" she asked the blonde. Temari's slightly confused expression told Hinata that she didn't understand.

"You don't have to push on your back Temari-chan. I squatted for the first two of the triplets. Or you can sit on the edge of the bed or-"

Temari flipped onto all fours. "Or that" she said.

"This feels...as good as this can feel I guess" she said, gritting her teeth through the oncoming contraction.

A few more pushes later and Temari squealed in pain.

"Hi-Hinata what's happening?" she asked.

"You're starting to open up. It's natural and it'll probably burn. But keep pushing! You're doing great!" she encouraged, half-listening for an opening door any second.

"ooof!"

Temari remained somewhat silent as the head crowned. Hinata was still a little embarrassed but watched in awe, having never been quite this up close and personal on the other side of delivery. _Three weeks away..._

Temari's grunt brought her out of her thoughts. "The head's fully crowned Temari!" she said.

"You can stop pushing and stretch if you-"

"Like hell!" she replied, hissing as the forehead slowly exited, followed by the ears and nose. "I'm going to MURDER him for missing this!"

"And, we have a head!" said Hinata, smiling. She knew enough to check for the cord. "Hurry up!" groaned Temari.

Hinata was so busy she didn't hear the front door open.

"Oi, what's-" Shikamaru walked through the bedroom door to see a head protruding from his wife's body. Sasuke was just behind him.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, catch him!" exclaimed Hinata as she watched the genius faint.

"Hinata? What's-" Sasuke started before catching his friend.

"Temari is having the baby. The head's out"

Sasuke dragged Shikamaru to the couch, settling him down before returning to the bedroom. Temari had just turned around to hold her baby and Hinata covered her with the sheet just as Sasuke entered.

"It's a...boy!" exclaimed Temari triumphantly, managing a smirk that turned to a smile almost instantly as she beheld her son's face. _And she wasn't going to let anyone who doubted her instincts forget it._

After a few minutes, Hinata softly spoke to Temari

"Hey, I know you don't want to look away from him right now but you'll be delivering the placenta soon so hand him to Sasuke and he'll take good care of him"

Temari was slightly apprehensive but a particularly painful contraction convinced her and she carefully handed her son to the Uchiha who took him to the bathroom and started post-birth procedures immediately as he'd been trained.

"Well, we're going to stay in here together a little while, little man" he said to the sniffling newborn. He'd squalled a couple times but was pretty quiet.

He heard groans from the other room and didn't exit until they'd ceased.

"They had a scale. 8lbs, 3oz and about 21 inches long"

"And he was born at 6:31 p.m" added Hinata. Sasuke handed the newborn Nara to his mother and went to wake up Shikamaru.

Hinata and Sasuke left the couple, encouraging them to take Shinobu (as they learned he was named) to Tsunade that evening just in case.

Sasuke's hand slid around Hinata's waist as they came to the crest of the hill before the Uchiha mansion.

"You had an eventful day. I'm proud of you, Hinata-chan" he said, pecking her on the forehead. She giggled, leaning into his embrace.

"Are you ready to do this again? I'll be in the same place soon"

His grip tightened. "Are you afraid?"

She shook her head. "I've already had three. Plus, you'll be with me"

She didn't see his genuine smile.

 _To know that he brought someone comfort and not fear was a nice feeling._

* * *

Sakiko wiped her brow.

"You've done well today. You can go home" the Hokage said, handing the newborn to its mother. They'd delivered three babies during this shift and Sasuke found that his queasiness at seeing the baby emerge had dissipated. _About time, Hinata's due in two weeks._

He had just checked out when presence came up behind him. _Dammit not again. That's the third time this week._

Pretending to be femininely startled, he vaguely recognized a blonde from the 3rd West wing of the hospital.

"I've been watching you. And you're the prettiest thing around here" he said, a practiced grin crossing his face as he tilted his head to the side. _Smooth._

"Sakiko" barely hid the smirk. "And you're the slimiest" she replied, trying to get past him.

"Woah, woah, woah there, not so fast" he said, putting an arm out to stop her. She gently placed a hand on his arm.

Then squeezed it so tightly he was forced to move, nearly falling against the wall. Sasuke walked away without a word.

 _Why are all men such idiots._ he caught himself thinking.

If that wasn't enough, Naruto was leaning against the post at the entrance of the gate to the hospital. _Naruto not you too._

"Hiya again, Sakiko-chan!" he called exuberantly. _Hello for the fourth time this week you've just happened to be here after my shift._

 _"_ I was wondering if you...if you would like to get dinner with me tonight? It's only 5o' clock and I'll pay!" he offered.

He tried to act natural. He really did. "Naruto-san" she began, intentionally distancing herself, "I am permanently taken" was all she said before patting him awkwardly on the shoulder and turning to walk home.

"You're engaged?" he questioned further. _Damn your persistence Naruto._

A faint blush. "Not exactly" _I'm married you dolt._

 _"_ Then there's nothing permanent about it!"

"Naruto-san, I would really appreciate you respecting my previously established relationship. Goodbye" she snapped, before striding away furiously.

 _Jeez. Snippy._ He thought, walking away. _Maybe Sakura is right..._

* * *

Sasuke and Shikamaru were sent away unexpectedly for a few days. Both were apprehensive about leaving for a week. Shinobu was only two weeks old and Hinata's due date was just a little over a week away.

Hinata brought the triplets to see Shinobu for the first time, watching with amusement and slight nostalgia as they gazed at the newborn. Hizashi looked perplexed, Yua expressed intense interest, gently stroking the baby Nara's face and hair with her tiny hand. Hiraku wasn't impressed, preferring instead to run circles in the Nara's living room.

"Mama, us baby?" asked Yua. Hinata shook her head. "No, our new baby is coming soon. This is Temari-chan's baby. His name is Shinobu."

"Shi-no-bu?" repeated the small girl. Her mother nodded. Yua clapped her hands together as if those three syllables were the most wonderful sounds in the world. She was chanting them over and over again until they departed nearly an hour later so that both Shinobu and Temari could rest.

"I don't know how you've done it with three" stated Temari as the Uchihas were departing.

"They sleep better than your little one does. For Shikamaru being his father, he sure is a restless, "troublesome" baby" joked Hinata. Temari smiled and waved goodbye, glad her son was already on his way to dreamland after having been rocked by Hinata.

* * *

"Don't beat yourself up about passing out Shikamaru" Sasuke stated as they headed back to Konoha from the Sand.

"It's troublesome to think about. But she _pushed a baby out of her body_ and I couldn't even handle seeing it..."

"Shikamaru, you've always planned on having two kids, right? You'll support her during the next one" he said, surprised the Nara man was this upset about it. Of course, he supposed he would feel the same if he had missed the triplets' birth. Or if he missed this one.

Sasuke sped up. He cleared his throat.

"Don't...mention this to anyone but I felt a little...A LITTLE...dizzy when the first baby was coming out of Hinata..." Sasuke admitted, not meeting Shikamaru's gaze.

Shikamaru didn't say anything in reply but no longer felt so bad about his fainting spell.

* * *

Sasuke was relieved to find a still-heavily-pregnant Hinata when he returned to the Uchiha mansion near midnight on the 8th of April.

When he told her so as they cuddled in bed, she nipped him on his throat gently.

"If YOU were the one heavily pregnant, you wouldn't be as glad" she pouted, following up her nip with a gentle lick.

"Is that a hint for a massage?" he queried, quirking his eyebrow. The question had the intended effect. She still blushed often when she was bare before his eyes.

"I-If...if you're not too tired from the mission" she said. He moved to the buttons on her maternity nightgown.

"But leave my clothes ON" she warned, tapping him on the nose. He grinned.

"No promises" he whispered back.

* * *

Though several months had passed since Sasuke confided his love to Hinata, she had yet to return his exact words.

It's strange, how things occur to the mind at the most random times.

For Hinata, the depth of her _love_ for her husband Uchiha Sasuke struck her as her mind swam in pain while she was delivering the head of their fourth child.

Hinata had been cutting up a fruit platter for the triplets' afternoon snack when the contractions she had been having all morning (and had assumed were fake) became suddenly sharper. Sasuke heard the knife clatter onto the counter top and this pulled him out of his focus on the triplets.

"Hinata-chan?" he questioned from the couch, still holding the book Yua was flipping through and pointing to her favorite things while Hizashi and Hiraku wrestled on the play mat.

"I-I think you should take the triplets and their snack to the Hyuuga mansion" she said, clutching her belly.

He stood immediately, rushing to her side. The triplets were now alarmed too.

Sasuke followed Hinata's instructions but was obviously worried about leaving her alone, even in the short amount of time he would be gone.

"N-no, the baby isn't th-that close but they are getting more painful" she had said, standing back to full height as the contraction ceased. He pecked her on the lips, scooped up the triplets and waited patiently for Hinata to seal the fruit slices in plastic baggies before rushing to the Hyuuga manor.

* * *

"Mama okay?" asked Hiraku as Sasuke held all three, dashing to the in-law's place.

"Yes, mommy is okay. The new baby is coming and you might get to see it tomorrow" Sasuke said. This satisfied the three in his arms.

* * *

After a whirlwind explanation to Hanabi, Sasuke rushed back to find Hinata still by the island in the kitchen, making circles around it and squatting slightly while holding onto the counter edge. It was nice to have her husband time them this time.

"Eight minutes apart" he said. "We still have a while" he said, glancing at the clock that read 3:26.

"It's so nice to be at home" she said later, still pacing around the downstairs. Ahota had kindly left them to their privacy.

"It's been about an hour and half since they started. Let me check you" Sasuke said. Hinata blushed, knowing he wouldn't take no for an answer. She daintily let her maternity capris fall to the ground around her ankles. A contraction ceased her and she leaned over the island.

"It's okay, stay like that and let me know when it ends" he encouraged. His fingers slid in as gently as they could.

"You're already at 4 centimeters. The baby's progressing well Hinata-chan" he said, proud of completing his first examination unsupervised. She nodded and kicked the pants away.

She preferred to walk on her own, even lunging up the stairs to the second floor as the birth drew nearer.

Her water broke as she lunged onto the top step. She was embarrassed. Sasuke kissed her forehead.

"It's okay. It just means baby will be here soon. What can I do for you?" he asked, rubbing her contracting belly gently.

"I-AUGH!" she groaned, squatting down as she clutched his arm. He held her until it ended.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun it hurts!" she said. She paced a little more, finally sitting on the edge of one of the window seats in the upper hallway to labor.

"I'm going to check you again, okay?" he asked. She nodded, spreading her legs.

They held eye contact and he grinned as he saw her blush.

"7 centimeters" he said, withdrawing and kissing her on her cheek. Transition seemed shorter than with the triplets. They eventually entered the bedroom, where Hinata wanted to give birth.

"Sasuke-kun, I need to PUSH!" she yelled, clutching the bedpost.

"You're only at a little more than 8 centimeters. You can't yet, sweetheart" he said. He glanced at the clock that read 7:07, remembering to keep track of time. _It's only been about 4 hours. This one is definitely going quicker._

* * *

That had occurred almost three hours ago and now the head was close to coming out. Hinata had been pushing since around 7:45 when she had finally reached full dilation. Somehow in her swimming thoughts in between contractions, she gazed up at her husband (she was laying down with her bottom at the edge of their bed at the moment) who was between her legs, watching her opening intently and completely focused on the task at hand.

The pain was momentarily overridden by the warm love that flooded her system for this man, so unlike the one she would have chosen for herself.

Sasuke realized she hadn't pushed for a couple minutes and his gaze met hers. The words slipped from her mouth.

Caught off guard, Sasuke leaned in and they shared a gentle but warm kiss. _What a strange time for you to think of that._

Then, the baby emerging from her kindly reminded its mother and subsequently Sasuke that it was the most important thing right now.

"OH!" shouted Hinata as the head crowned. _My hair again._ Sasuke was close to tears.

"Good Hinata, let yourself stretch" he said, cupping the child's head with both hands. Hinata relaxed a little, whimpering as the head slid back a little more. She reached down to feel it and her hand met Sasuke's on top of it. Their eyes met for a moment again before Hinata grunted and pushed the head out with a pop.

The shoulders followed two pushes later and Sasuke caught the baby easily.

"It's a girl" he said. "9:53pm on April 11th" he said, noting the time before cutting the cord and handing his second-born daughter to her mother.

"She looks so much like you!" was the first thing Hinata exclaimed. As Sasuke inspected his new daughter later, he had to agree. Their face shape was very similar.

"7lbs and 9oz and 19 iches long. She's a good size" he said after he weighed. Hinata smiled tiredly.

"I kinda felt that" she said, nearly drifting off to sleep. The newborn was dozing peacefully after suckling for the first time.

"It looks like we have another somewhat easy newborn" said Sasuke. But Hinata didn't hear; she was already fast asleep.

He couldn't believe it. _Four children. In a little under two years, the Uchiha clan has gone from 1 to 5_

He watched her sleep with a little amazement. _And it wouldn't be possible without you._

* * *

The newborn was introduced to her Hyuuga family first.

"A girl! I knew it!" exclaimed Hanabi as she held little Satomi, whom her father had named for Konoha, the village that though unacknowledged by the Uchiha, was becoming precious to him once again.

They had posted the birth announcement this morning. The post-master had cried again.

Shikamaru and Temari were next and they smiled as both dark-haired newborns laid side by side on the blanket in the Nara's living room, just three weeks apart in age.

Kakashi was next and he remarked on the resemblance to his former student as well. Tsunade grinned as the three entered, giving the girl a clean bill of health after her first check up.

At lunch, Ino cooed over the new girl while Sai fed Akihiko, who was now two months old, from his bottle.

"Yeah, I hope our next is a girl" she said longingly. "He's a good sleeper but a very fussy eater" she went on, eyeing with envy how easily her son ate for his father.

After her parade around town and a quick run-in with Naruto (who held the newborn baby as if she were precious gold), the three returned to the Uchiha mansion.

"I think it was a good idea to have the triplets stay at the Hyuuga mansion the first few days" said Sasuke, settling Satomi in her crib. She would sleep in their room for the first few weeks until they settled into a routine and then she would move into a room on the left side of them, opposite of the triplets.

Hinata nodded wearily.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He'd been keeping tabs and making sure she was getting plenty of fluid during the day. She nodded, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

"Just tired" he nodded as they walked to the bed. Their triplets had been asleep while they were at the Hyuuga manor today so they would introduce them to their new sister tomorrow. Hinata nodded off quickly again.

"Just so you know" Sasuke began a little awkwardly. "Um...I don't expect you to...churn them out like this. I think it would be a good idea to wait at least a year or two before the next one"

Hinata smiled. "I know you don't expect it, Sasuke-kun. But I do agree. We'll discuss it after Satomi's first birthday" she said, nodding off quickly again.

 _She's always so understanding._

* * *

So I know this is a tad shorter that my usual updates but at least a lot happened!

 **Satomi-From Japanese _里 (sato)_ meaning "village" combined with _美 (mi)_ meaning "beautiful".**

 **Shinobu-From Japanese _忍 (shinobu)_ meaning "endurance"**

Sooo what do you all think? What would you like to see happen next? I hope the next update will be sooner!

-Pi-chan! :)


	21. Chapter 21

Hinata was thrilled to hear that Tenten was pregnant again.

They were having tea outside on a blanket just outside the Uchiha mansion; it was the end of the first week of May and spring was in full swing.

An almost month-old Satomi was content to lay on the blanket next to her mother while her more mobile siblings chased each other around. Satomi was an unusually quiet baby, even more so than her eldest sibling Hizashi had been.

"That's wonderful Tenten-chan!" the Uchiha woman said with elation.

"Yeah, I'm due just after the first of the year" she responded, a slight grin on her face. Still, her eyes carried a sadness Hinata picked up on. She put an arm around her friend.

"Hinata...what if..."

"Don't think like that, Tenten-chan. It could happen again. But it isn't guaranteed. Whatever happens, Lee loves you and I'm sure will be enthusiastic enough to try again" she joked and Tenten blushed before chuckling slightly.

Temari arrived a few minutes later, carrying Shinobu on her back before settling him on the blanket as well. The other two were glad to see her and enjoyed the afternoon outdoors together.

So far, their husbands had been able to prevent both Tenten and Temari from catching wind of Sasuke's almost-assured affair with the Hokage's young apprentice. But Lee and Shikamaru knew they couldn't keep them from the whispers much longer. Temari was so grateful to Hinata for her help during Shinobu's delivery and their friendship had grown even closer because of it. Shikamaru could see his wife-who had not fully recovered from the birth yet-confronting the Uchiha all on her own.

The men were at a loss for what to do. Unless Hinata herself caught her husband in the act, everyone knew her dogged loyalty to him wouldn't allow her to see the truth no matter who presented the evidence nor how much of it mounted against him.

Kiba had tried to counter. "Hinata isn't stupid"

Shikamaru had shaken his head. "No, she isn't. But Sasuke has also probably not given her a reason to doubt his loyalty and thus her trust in him is cemented"

"We have to confront him" said Lee.

"I've already said that I think that situation would be troublesome" replied Shikamaru. "And I've already stated that there's still reasonable doubt that there is anything even happening. Sasuke wouldn't allow himself to be caught if-"

"But there's what Sakura saw-"

"And Sakura is obviously the biggest proponent of Sasuke and Hinata's marriage flourishing the way it has" responded Shikamaru sardonically. They all looked at Naruto who, surprisingly, had remained silent during their conversation.

"I think we should confront them together. Now that Hinata's had the baby, there is no risk in triggering stress and inducing early labor. We could pull them somewhere together, under the guise of clan business or something maybe. I still think Sasuke is innocent, though" the blonde stated, recalling the day he had turned away from their mansion because of the passion he saw.

"There's just no reason to cheat on Hinata. They're...intimate. Hinata's bearing healthy children for his clan. They seem very happy together" he said. Only he and Shikamaru saw room to doubt Sasuke's affair. Though Shino was more middle ground, the others had all but decided his guilt.

All three women were oblivious to this tense conversation, though.

Temari was equally thrilled to hear Tenten was pregnant again and reassured the brunette as well.

"Yes, Sasuke and I have our hands full as it is. We probably won't try to conceive again for another year at least, if not two"

"Shikamaru and I feel that way too. Though, since we only want one more, we might wait three or even four"

"Do you and Lee have a preferred gender?" Hinata suddenly asked Tenten, keeping a mother's eye on the triplets playing peekaboo in the tall grass. Ahota was still around too so she wasn't all that worried.

"We both would like a boy first" she replied. "And we aren't sure we want more than one child, though I suppose two would be nice. But that's the maximum" she said.

Hinata had a sudden thought. "Do people think Sasuke and I are crazy for having so many? Not that I care...i-it's just..."

"Nah. That lunatic's been raving about reviving his clan for enough years that I don't think anyone's really all that surprised..." Temari said affectionately. She hadn't verbalized it, but she'd actually warmed up to Sasuke and even somewhat admired him. Especially since the way he kicked her husband's ass in sparring had made the normally lazy Nara a bit less lazy. Just a bit, of course.

Hinata blushed. "Oh, I guess that makes sense..."

"I think the guys might tease him about it sometimes but it's all done in fun. They all see how the marriage is shaping him for the better, Hinata-chan!

"It's not just him!" she said, smiling.

Tenten smirked. "Yeah, you never wouldn't teased me about Lee's enthusiasm like you did earlier..."

Hinata giggled. "I suppose not"

Temari saw and opportunity. "So spill. How often does the Uchiha want it?"

Though Hinata had been more cautious in answering Ino's questions, she was more lenient when it came to Temari and Tenten.

"When we first...we were probably...at least once a day when he was home. Probably closer to two..." she answered honestly.

"But he was also gone a lot more then than he is now since the war was more recently over and there was still all that cleanup to do along the borders"

The other two nodded in remembrance.

"Then I got pregnant but that doesn't really affect anything with me...and since the triplets probably at least four times a week...for his birthday last year it was 3 in one day...and I think that's when Satomi was..."

Temari smirked, a faint blush dusting even her cheeks and Tenten whistled. "That's... _a lot"_ she said.

Hinata turned her head away. "I...is it really?"

The other two nodded. "For sure. I mean, yeah, at the very beginning beginning Shikamaru and I would at least once a day. But after the first year it sorta...nose dived. Before the pregnancy it was maybe three times a week. Mayyybe. We haven't since the birth.

"Yeah, Lee has more energy than Shikamaru probably" Tenten said. "But I have a fairly low sex-drive and Lee understands that. The most we have was probably when we were trying for this conception about five times around my fertile window. But otherwise...we do good to keep twice a week going..."

"Wow, I didn't realize..."

"It's a good thing your and Sasuke's sex drives are so well matched. I never would've guessed YOU" Temari teased, winking at Hinata.

"Me neither" Hinata giggled. "But you can't tell anyone else, seriously you two" she warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it" said Tenten.

"You can count on us" said Temari.

Ahota suddenly burst out of the tall grass, all three Uchiha triplets being pulled along by his tail in a train.

"They've got meeee!" he said dramatically, suddenly becoming very still. There was a chorus of giggles as the triplets clapped their hands in triumph.

"Mama, we win!" exclaimed Hizashi proudly. As the oldest, he was naturally falling into his position as leader. Hiraku was emerging as a more easygoing and whimsical one. He just enjoyed being around his siblings and rarely contested his older brother's decisions. Yua was the one who more often tried to pull away and do her own thing. His speaking was also the best of the three, though the other two were rapidly catching up to him.

All three women nodded, acknowledging the defeat and trying not to allow their ninja minds to flash forward to a time when the three before them would likely be celebrating a very different kind of victory, a blood-covered one.

* * *

The next months of Hinata's and Sasuke's marriage were some of the best they would recall in later years. Sasuke was home often (he would, in fact, only be sent on five missions between June and December) and most of those were only important political escorts that paid Konoha very well to ensure the Uchiha were one of their bodyguards.

They made love for the first time after Satomi's birth on Sasuke's 21st birthday. Both were eager to resume their former pace and Hinata had gladly settled onto Sasuke's naked lap in the middle of the day after they had put the children down for a nap.

"You know" Sasuke murmured afterwards as they laid nestled together. "I remember when you were aghast at having sex with me while the sun was out" he teased.

She smiled. "Would you prefer I go back to that?" she asked knowingly, smothering her face against the crook of his neck. His reply was a contented sigh and silence reigned over the room for several minutes.

"I should get ready"

Tsunade sometimes asked "Sakiko" to work a shift here and there at the hospital. To both the Hokage's and Hinata's surprise, Sasuke had agreed.

"They were short staffed" he would say. That was true but they were always short staffed.

Though he didn't work on the maternity floor that often (Hinata was a little apprehensive about him spending so much time around other women's private areas) but he helped out where he could though his control wasn't precise enough to do any actual healing beyond small cuts and abrasions.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was beginning to suspect something was amiss. Small things alerted him.

Shikamaru didn't invite him over as often anymore or offer to spar with him.

The unsaid words behind Kiba's eyes when he saw them together.

Even Lee was more abrupt with him than usual.

 _It doesn't bother me. Why should it? They don't mean anything to me. My marriage is good and the Uchiha clan is being reestablished. That's all that matters._

Yes, they were happy months indeed.

Which is why Hinata was so surprised when she and Sasuke entered the room Naruto had invited them to in order to discuss the Uchiha clan's relation to the village, the door shut behind them by Kiba and a grim foreboding settled over the room. Absolute silence before Shikamaru spoke, informing them of their reasons for bringing them here. Sasuke's hand clenched Hinata's.

 **" _What"_** he said through clenched teeth. He finally had a clan and these people-these _friends-_ were trying to tear it apart.

 **"No"** he thought. Not again.

Venom entered his voice. "Listen. I've told you men already that I don't want my loyalty or my motives or my intentions challenged just because of the past" he growled, his eyes intentionally swirling red as he directed glares at each person in the room individually.

A chill ran down the spines of most of those in the room. Akamaru started to quake in fear.

Hinata's soft, small question-absent of anger or hurt-caught the attention of all in the room. "What evidence do you have?"

She squeezed Sasuke's hand.

Shikamaru recited the list, explaining their first tip off came from a "anonymous source" that saw Sasuke in the alleyway with a young brunette girl. Then, how he had gone into the forest in the middle of the night that very same night along with several other misnomers.

Hinata listened and she could feel Sasuke's blood nearly boiling through his skin on the hand she still held.

"Did this witness actually see them together or see one and then the other?"

Shikamaru stammered, scanning the document.

"Uh-I-"

"One a few seconds just after the other" Sakura's voice said. Sasuke lunged but Hinata held him back, calmly stating:

"So what you're saying is a woman who has every reason to want to cause havoc in this marriage happened to see Sasuke in the same alleyway within a few seconds of an unnamed girl and that proves he's having an affair with her? Shikamaru, I thought you of all people were smarter than that"

"Well, then there's the nights in the forest-" offered Kiba, who had been itching to lunge at the Uchiha man.

"Have any of you actually witnessed them holding hands? Kissing? Having sex?" she asked and there was a deafining silence in the room.

"No but-"

"For your information, Ahota lives in that forest and Sasuke goes there to retrieve him when he's needed to guard the mansion"

"This wasn't just any girl in the alleyway. It was Sakiko, the Hokage's apprentice that most of the male nurses in the hospital and Naruto are hounding after" said Sakura snidely.

The situation struck Hinata and Sasuke in the same moment. To everyone else's surprise, both visibly relaxed. Hinata even laughed slightly.

"Are you mad that you can't get a date now, Sakura?" Hinata said, the biting tone surprising everyone. Sasuke's lips were also curling into a smile.

"Are you happy that he's cheated on you?" asked Kiba, confused. Sasuke and Hinata looked at one another out of the corner of their eyes. Hinata gave a slight nod and Sasuke's hands formed the seals before the others could even blink.

"HENGE!"

As the dust settled, a very lovely Sakiko stood in the Uchiha Avenger's place. He even flashed a peace sign and said "Sakiko-chan desu"

Several people fell back in their chairs.

"No...it can't be...' said Naruto.

"You seriously don't believe this, do you?" asked Sakura and Kiba almost simultaneously. "He's obviously just transformed into his lover-"

Sakiko cleared her throat and recited Ino's last pregnancy appointment in full detail, causing the blonde to blush. Then she proceeded to recite hospital regulations and shifts and quirks that you'd almost have to work there to know.

Sakura wasn't giving in. "So, they do more than bang. She talks to him about work. How-"

"And who do you think delivered Satomi? We had a home birth and it wasn't Tsunade. It was me. The Hokage can, however, corroborate all of this" Sasuke said, the transformation dissipating and he swung an arm around his wife.

"Let's go home, Hinata" he said. She nodded to their friends in the room and they turned and walked past an awestruck Kiba to the hallway.

 _Well, we didn't see that coming._

 _I feel terrible._

 _Some friends we are._

As they arrived to their mansion, the same thought struck Sasuke and Hinata at once. _They'd given the triplets to the Hyuuga mansion for the evening because they imagined the Uchiha clan discussion would take longer._

They decided to go on a walk through the forest path, enjoying each other's company in silence.

"Hinata-chan, I want you to know that I would never-"

She hushed him. "You know, you're more talkative than I would ever imagine you to be" she said, teasing him slightly and leaning into him playfully.

"I already know. As I told you before, I trust you Sasuke-kun" she said. Sasuke thought she looked lovely in the twilight.

He squeezed her hand, his happiness being non-verbally transmitted to her. They shared a chaste kiss before slowly walking back toward the mansion and retiring quietly.

* * *

To Sasuke's immense surprise, Sakura was the first to knock on the Uchiha mansion's door in the middle of the next morning. Sasuke's eyes flashed red.

Hinata had stayed in the living room with the triplets chasing one another around and Satomi laying on the blanket while her mother played with her feet.

Sasuke refused her entrance.

"Please, Sasuke, let me apologize to Hinata"

"Sakura, I don't trust you around my wife or my children. Especially after yesterday. Do not underestimate me" he said gruffly, slamming the door in her face.

"Sasuke-kun? Who was that?" called Hinata, worried about Sasuke's rough tone.

"No one important" he reassured. Her eyebrows raised in suspicion but she trusted her husband. And her attention was soon grabbed by an upset Hiraku.

* * *

Summer passed and the triplets turned two, it seemed, before Hinata could blink.

Their birthday party was smaller this year, as several members of the Hyuuga clan were absent due to an important meeting at the border of Fire country.

"I suspect they're convening to nominate suitors and perhaps even decide on a husband for Hanabi-chan" Hinata explained to Sasuke.

"But she's still so young!" Sasuke couldn't hide his surprise. Though his sister-in-law was mature in ways for her age, he felt she could benefit from at least two more years.

"Yes, she is" agreed Hinata wistfully, worrying somewhat about how her baby sister would adjust to marriage.

"But as heiress, it's expected. The courtship will also be at least a year, followed by a traditional year-long engagement"

Hinata giggled at the look on her husband's face, kissing his cheek as an almost-six-month-old Satomi wiggled in his grasp.

"Could you have waited that long?" she purred quietly, nipping his earlobe playfully.

He paled, recalling the 8 months he had waited. "How will the survive?" he quipped dramatically, causing Hinata to laugh. Then her expression saddened.

"Unfortunately, the Hyuuga care the least about...how passionate an arranged marriage will be. We typically marry inside the clan but we lost many of our most eligible men in the war. The closest to Hanabi in age either way is 30 or 11. The elder one is already happily married with two children and the elders will not wait for the 11 year old to grow up. So, in this case, they must look outside the clan. Father probably isn't too upset, though, because it's a chance to establish a tie. The Hyuuga do not need many ties but a fallback or two never hurts"

He nodded thoughtfully and silence reigned while he and Hinata turned their attention back to greeting guests for the party.

The wheels of Sasuke's mind began to turn as he subconsciously sorted through all the eligible bachelors from 18 to 25 that could, in the future, place the Uchiha clan in a favorable position with regards to political ties.

He finally thought of a son of one of his most sought after dignitaries (one he invited to each Christmas party and intentionally spoke to at Gaara's wedding).

The young man was scarcely a year younger than Sasuke himself. He was tall, somewhat handsome (if Sasuke was any judge) and very stalwart in personality. _Someone Hanabi needed._

Sasuke spent a few more hours mulling it over before presenting the name to Hinata. She knew the name and had spoken with the man a few times. She asked Sasuke to describe the son to her.

"Hanabi-chan will probably find him attractive, then" she commented after Sasuke finished his description. Sasuke smirked.

"How do you know that, Hinata-chan?"

She grinned. "Sometimes girls talk about their preferences in men. But only during certain days of the year" she said very seriously, keeping an eye on the triplets out of the corner of her eye.

He moved closer to her, making her bashful. Though they were still setting up for the party, a guest could arrive early at any moment.

"Oh, really? What are your preferences in men, Hinata-chan?"

She grinned before bumping her nose with his. "You'll have to ask Hanabi-chan that" she replied easily, twirling out of his reach and catching little Hizashi (who was about to tumble down the hill). He let her go and retained his normal composure throughout the remainder of the evening.

When the triplets, after a full day of chasing Akamaru's two-month old puppies, eating too much birthday food, riding on Kiba's and Naruto's backs and even playing with and trying to corral little Shinobu (who was starting to follow them the best he could with his crawling early at 6 months), they collapsed exhausted into their parents' arms. Tsunade herself stopped by and told them to bring the triplets in for their two-year checkup the following day as well as little Satomi a little early for her half-year.

With the triplets safely tucked in bed and Naruto and Kiba once again on clean-up duty (they still liked to turn just about everything into a competition), Sasuke caught his wife by the waist as they strode from the Satomi's room toward their bedroom. He gently pushed her into the wall next to their bedroom door from behind. He brought his hardness against her lower back as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear:

"Do you desire to twirl out of my reach again?" he asked huskily. Her silence invigorated him and she tried to turn. When he wouldn't let her, she grinned and gently bumped back into him, effectively distracting him so she could turn and press against him.

"No" she said, biting her lip before smothering his mouth with hers very boldly. They tumbled into the bedroom, if only to keep the children from waking up.

"I didn't think you would" Sasuke stated, immediately taking lead of their making out and demonstrating his desire to be dominate this time. Hinata gladly obliged. (Secretly, she was still a little shy about bouncing right in front of his eyes, though his reactions told her he enjoyed it very much).

Sasuke drew it out as long as he could, nearly begging for her to lock her legs around his waist. She resisted, teasingly brushing against him until he lifted them himself and his sudden, deep thrust drew his name in elongated syllables from her lips.

It was a little later, as Hinata lay on her side, playfully skimming her fingers along his arm, that she giggled.

"Do you know how weird we are?" she asked Sasuke. He exhaled, indicating mild interest.

"Very few other couples make love this often, after kids and being married as long as we have" she stated. His hand gripped her hip and pulled her so she was completely snuggled atop him.

"I doubt very many other husbands have as tempting of a wife" he whispered, kissing the sweet spot just under her ear and on the side of her neck. She enjoyed it and honestly wanted another session but noted that he looked tired. In fact, the tone of his voice told her he was in the very early stages of sleep.

"And not many wives have as attractive husbands" she whispered back, pecking him swiftly before readjusting to massage his feet. This was a gesture she knew he very much liked and not very many things relaxed him as much. The former Avenger was asleep within minutes.

Hinata, heart full, tiptoed out of the room after throwing a robe on to check on Satomi first (who was sleeping regularly through the night and had mostly since her birth) and the triplets last. They would be moving out of their cribs soon. Sasuke was taking them into town to pick them out next week. T

"Mama?" a small feminine voice questioned.

"Yes, Yua?" she said. "Did I wake you?"

The little girl seemed to shake her head in the dim light.

"Is baby okay?" the half-asleep little two year old asked.

"Yes, she's fine. Go back to sleep" assured Hinata, closing the door quietly and resealing it as Sasuke had taught her to.

She settled back in bed by her husband, contemplating how much had changed since the war. Reconstruction was going smoothly. To her and Sasuke's delight, a lot of the village had decided to expand in the opposite direction, leaving their mansion most of its privacy.

The other countries were having a little bit of economic trouble and trouble bartering for resources for the massive reconstruction effort. Water Country especially was having a difficult time. Even after fighting in a war together, some of the other countries didn't trust the others to rebuild honestly. Or keep a huge secret army to wipe out the other villages during rebuilding.

As she fell asleep, Hinata wondered if the aftermath of the war would ever end.

* * *

Yua giggled as the cold stethoscope pressed against her tummy. She had been the brave one to volunteer first, leaving her brothers to "save face" by battling over who would go next.

The blonde lady felt her arms, legs and even her back. She had to open her mouth and say "ah!" and then take a lot of deep breathes.

Both boys, after seemingly deciding that Hizashi would go next, watched the process attentively. Already, they were showing signs of being protective of their sister.

Tsunade smiled. "Okay Yua, you're very healthy" she stated, helping the young girl pull her top back down before setting her on the floor.

"Can you step on this scale for me and stay still for a moment?" she asked. The young girl nodded.

Tsunade scribbled some notes before leading Yua over to the height measurement attached to the wall.

"She's about 28lbs and 32 inches tall. A little below average on the height but nothing to be worried about" she said, before starting on Hizashi and then repeating the exact process with Hiraku.

"They're all in wonderful health, Uchihas" she praised. "You should be proud! I will take some blood, though, to be thorough"

Yua and Hiraku both wanted their mother to hold their other hand while Tsunade and Ino took their blood ( so Hinata gave one hand to each child) and Sasuke stayed with Hizashi.

"Okay, now the little one's turn" said Tsunade, taking the baby from her mother. The triplets, shiny new bandages in place (Yua had chosen purple, Hiraku dark green and Hizashi picked red), tensed when Hinata let go of Satomi. They rushed to the blonde, desperate to observe what the lady was doing to their baby sister.

They knew mommy and daddy were letting it happen so it must be okay but they watched to be sure.

Tsunade gently tapped Satomi's knee, testing reflexes. She weighed her, measured her and did several other things.

"She checks out too" she said, handing the infant to her father.

"Good. Thank you, Hokage-sama" said Hinata. Three little chimed voices rang "Thanksu, Hokkssma" as they followed their parents out the door. The blonde chuckled to herself after they left. _Who'd have thunk it?_

* * *

Hinata was relieved not to have to plan a Christmas party this year. Sasuke was gone most of November and nearly all her days were spent inside the Uchiha mansion with her children. Both Temari and Ino had returned to the mission field, though peaceful times remained and they were not gone as frequently as the year before.

Hinata herself, though on the mission roster since August, was not called until the last day of October. She hated leaving all four of her children at the Hyuuga mansion because she knew the council was in the midst of the important decision of Hanabi's likely husband (if lenient, Hanabi would get to choose from three suitors after a six-month trial period). Hinata had spoken to her father about Sasuke's suggestion but, like many of their interactions, she could not tell whether it had been taken into consideration or not. She spoke with her father briefly and, though he could not tell her names yet, they had it narrowed down to five candidates. All that remained was for the suitors to reply. Two of them were from Konoha. Hinata felt a slight thud in her stomach. _Naruto is still single_. _And there was no way he'd be overlooked, especially as a future Hokage._ An unexpected wave of emotion crashed over her as she headed to the Hokage tower.

After briefing, she set out with both Shino and Sai to Water country. Shino sensed something in Hinata was amiss. The cheerful greeting was absent. He worried at first that she and Sasuke had had a quarrel but, upon inquiring, found out Sasuke had been gone on his own mission about three days.

His uncharacteristic inquiry must have alerted Hinata to her lack of acting and he observed her with a watchful eye the rest of the trip. She seemed normal. And yet she didn't. He had already personally apologized to Sasuke for his actions during the more than unfair affair accusations. Perhaps she was still angry at him?

When he pursued this course a little over a week later as they returned from their mission, he found that was also not the case. She seemed more naturally herself as they departed so he did not push the conversation further. _Perhaps she just had an off day._

* * *

Tenten's pregnancy progressed extremely well and she rounded out nicely by the end of the year, much to her relief. She went into labor at the end of the first week of January, giving birth at 8:03pm after only six hours of labor.

The birth of their son, Ryuu, plastered a permanent smile on Lee's face. Gai-sensei cried for days and then sniffled for weeks afterward.

Born with Lee's black hair but his mother's distinct facial shape, he was very striking to look at only few days old.

"Let's just hope his eyebrows don't copy his father's" teased Ino as she held the newborn while Akihiko, who was nearing a year old now, shakily stood clutching the chair his mother sat in.

Tenten smiled and nearly gave Ino a dramatic fit by saying that she didn't care if he did or not.

Akihiko, Shinobu, and Satomi would all turn a year old within the next three months and they held a joint birthday party in mid March which nearly all the ninja in Konoha attended. Even Kakashi, who was rumored to be preparing to take over the title of Hokage so that Tsunade could retire and devote more time to the hospital, made an appearance.

Shinobu already demonstrated keen intelligence, pulling ahead of his peers in speaking and walking significantly. Still, he was a little clumsy. Satomi, who could not take full steps on her own yet without clutching something else, put extreme care into each step she took and never fell until she was ready to begin crawling again. Akihiko, however, was hesitant to even step while clutching a couch.

Temari received news that made her ecstatic just a few hours before the joint birthday party.

"Namika's pregnant!" she shouted as Hinata and Shikamaru were decorating. "Gaara's going...to be a father!" she exclaimed again, letting the extreme disbelief and joy wash over her.

Indeed, the Kazekage's wife had conceived in late December and was already in her 13th week.

"Shikamaru, can we go visit them?" she asked. He groaned. She glared.

"They haven't even met Shinobu yet!" she pressed. Temari eventually won out.

"Very well, we will leave next Monday" he conceded, making a mental note to notify the Hokage. _A trip to Suna and in the middle of winter at that._

* * *

As they carried four very exhausted children home, Sasuke gently queried Hinata about her thoughts on their next baby since Satomi was two weeks away from being a year old.

"I think waiting another year would be ideal" she replied, already having thought somewhat about it. He nodded in agreement and Hinata was slightly relieved.

After settling the triplets into bed, Satomi woke up and threw a rare crying fit. Hinata and Sasuke took turns calming her for an entire hour.

Finally, doubly exhausted, the little girl fell asleep around ten. Sasuke walked back into the master bedroom, surprised to find his wife awake.

"You know, even though we've decided to wait a year" she purred quietly, sauntering toward him with a warm, winter red robe on.

He grinned. "There's no reason not to practice" she finished, stopping just before him. He picked her up and obliged her wishes, allowing her to ride him into sensual oblivion.

* * *

In honor of Hanabi's birthday, the clan convened a special dinner where Hanabi's suitors were to be announced. _So they did go with the three suitor route_ Hinata thought as the announcement was read. She and Sasuke both attended, leaving Naruto to occupy their four children.

The first suitor surprised both Sasuke and Hinata: Kankuro of the Sand.

Their very brief shared look showed their agreement. _Their personalities will be disastrous._

"The second suitor is Arakawa Shun"

Sasuke tried to hide his delight. The young man had been his choice.

"And the final suitor is Konoha's own Naruto Uzumaki"

The brief sweep over the room displayed that he was undoubtedly the Elder council's preferred choice.

It bothered Sasuke that he could not read Hinata's face as Naruto's name was read. Old whispers rang through his head. _Why did it have to be HIM? Can Hinata handle it if her sister marries Naruto?_

Hinata had not yet decided how she felt. That she was completely in love with and devoted to Sasuke was evident to her. But still something within her cringed slightly at her sister-already receiving the status of heiress, most talented- now having the possibility of getting Naruto too. _Kissing him. M-Making love to him._

Sasuke saw Hinata's face jerk away slightly. His stomach jolted with realization. _She DOES still want him._

* * *

The courtship began the next day, with Naruto dining privately with her sister and father at the Hyuuga mansion for lunch.

The process had been set up so Naruto would court her from March 28 to May 28th since he already lived in Konoha and the others could have more preparation for travel and to make other arrangements. Kankurou lived closer than Shun and would court Hanabi from May 29th to July 29th. Then, Shun would arrive from Mountain country and court her from July 30th to September 30th. Hanabi was given three days to deliberate and make her choice then each would be notified of the decision via hawk on October 3rd.

Hinata was unsure of how her sister and Naruto would get along. Sasuke's alarm went up even more when Hinata turned down his advances two days later. And then again a week later.

 _So it's not her period_ he surmised. He was about to broach the subject bluntly when the Hokage summoned him for a mission to begin immediately.

Sasuke groaned inwardly when he saw Sakura was assigned to his team, along with Ino. He almost declined when he discovered the expected mission time was three weeks. _Just excellent._ At least it would get his mind of Hinata.

He had hoped facing the coming three weeks would break Hinata's disinterest in intimacy with him. He was wrong.

She kissed him like an absent-minded habit before pulling dinner out of the oven. He couldn't remember feeling so dejected.

He shook himself out of it, resigning himself to the mission and enduring the company of the two female ninja as they raced out of Konoha's front gate.

* * *

The man seated at his writing desk was ecstatic. _Here is a means into Konoha and even to observe the Uchihas themselves up close._

There were preparations to be made and people to brief. _So there were only four children now. It would be much less blood than the original Uchiha masscre._

* * *

 **Ryuu-** from Japanese _竜, 龍 (ryuu)_ meaning "dragon"

Woohoo! Lots of stuff going on! R & R!

Pi-chan! :)


	22. Chapter 22

Sasuke's irritation was blatant to all present on the mission. By the time they were on their way back to Konoha, his aura was really freaking his teammates out; it had somehow grown colder over the course of the mission.

Ino was worried about letting him go back to the mansion. He'd been in a sour mood the whole three weeks. She didn't think he'd injure Hinata or their children but seeing him like that reminded Ino so much of what he'd become when...

"You're free to go, Ino-san" said the young nurse who had been checking them. She shook her head away from the thoughts. _Surely it'd be okay..._

* * *

Chills ran down Hinata's spine as soon as her husband entered the house. Having recently been injured from her own mission, she stood bravely to face him as he walked into the living room. Thankfully, the kids were all napping upstairs.

Sasuke had wallowed himself into a fine rage over the last three weeks. She stood to embrace him. He pushed her away. She winced.

"Sasuke-kun, I-"

The look he gave her made her blood run cold but she stood firm. "I'm glad you're back safely"

"Are you?" he asked, still staring her down. She met his gaze.

"Of course. Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? Ino-chan sent a note saying that you'd been angry throughout the mission, that you didn't even show mercy to-"

"I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHAT THAT BLONDE BIMBO SAID" he yelled, jumping on the opportunity.

He stepped closer to her. "And I do not appreciate my wife gossiping about me behind me back" he said, eyes narrowing. She was a little taken aback.

"It's not gossip if it's out of concern. Sasuke, you seemed fine when you left. Are you mad because-"

"Because I have NO idea what else you could be doing behind my back? Even if your body wants me, how do I know your heart does? I know you still pine after Naruto and deep in your heart, in a place I can't reach, you'd rather be married to him. Excuse me for being a little angry that my wife is-"

He was not expecting the slap or he could have dodged it. It was so hard he even saw stars for a few moments. He expected her to be blushing.

She wasn't.

Instead, her eyes were brimming with tears but her normally peaceful face was twisted into a terribly angry expression.

She didn't flinch when he thought about retaliating. He gripped her arms tightly.

"Sasuke-kun. I don't know why you're so insecure"

Damn, she was determined to strike a nerve.

"But I'm not going to discuss this with you until you've calmed down and can string three thoughts together in a rational manner. Now, please go shower and see if that returns you to the man I know best"

She said it calmly but with a radiating energy so vibrant that he obeyed after a few seconds of hesitation.

She exhaled sharply as he nearly stomped up the stairs, hoping he didn't wake the children. None of the triplets had slept well and needed their rest.

She rubbed her side where her rib had recently been broken. Though healed, it was still a little tender.

Waiting a few minutes, she peeked in on the children who were luckily still fast asleep. _Good._

Hinata slipped into the master bedroom, locking the door behind her and slipping into a robe.

Her husband, hair dripping wet with a scowl still on his face, joined her on their bed a few minutes later.

"Are you okay now?" she asked, her knees folded as she sat beside him. He jerked his face away from her touch.

She was silent for a few moments before asking him to settle against the headboard. He did so, not bothering to hold his robe closed. _Yeah, you don't excite me at all. This'll show you. I have no use for a wife who wants to be in bed with another man, whether or not she acts on it._

Hinata sat at his feet, knees still folded. "I think I know what this is about"

His glare nearly made her flinch but she refused. "You saw my reaction to Naruto courting Hanabi-chan, didn't you?"

Though usually expressionless, she knew him well. _I thought so._

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry you took it like that. And I must ask your forgiveness" she said, scooting further up toward his torso.

"It's not...Sasuke-kun, look at me..." she waited until he reluctantly did so.

"It's not that I still want him as anything more than a friend. It's just...that...Sasuke-kun Hanabi gets everything" she said, her head finally falling.

"She gets to be heiress and she is father's favorite and she's gotten everything I've ever wanted and when I realized she got the chance to have Naruto too as well as the life I wanted...I...I just lost it. It's so much more about my own envy and I'm so sorry it hurt you"

She didn't look at him but he was listening. He was remembering what it felt like when Itachi seemed to get everything...

"And...I let that envy gnaw at me for days. I could barely think of anything else. It was so bad Sasuke-kun that I lost sight of everything I do have. Everything that I've had with you-that we're building together. Our four children. I was so selfish to forget how wonderful I had it. And I'm so sorry that...that I forgot how what I never wanted is the best thing that could've happened to me"

She was sobbing now but she did move onto his lap. "I love you" she whispered as her head settled on his shoulder.

Sasuke didn't want to show it but those weeks of numbing and anger were melting away. _You'd feel the exact same damn way if it were Itachi._

"I...I understand" he whispered back after a few moments of hesitation. His arms came around her and he held her, though her sobs were quieting.

"Can...can I make it up in another way?" she asked gently. Her hands were already between his legs, gently stroking a hardness he'd been determined not to let happen.

"H-Hinata, you don't have to-"

"But I want to" she replied. Still reeling from the walls he built up during the mission, she could tell that he wasn't being as expressive and open with her as normal.

When her head raised and she settled herself on his lap, waiting for his refractory period to pass, she could almost visibly see the easiness they'd took three years to build returning.

They didn't talk, preferring to press their bodies together in silence.

When she felt him grow hard again beneath her, he whispered: "I should start preparing you too," reaching without ceremony between her legs. She gave a surprised moan and he was even more surprised to find her already near-dripping.

His eyes met hers. She blushed. "I-I've been thinking about your return all day..." she confessed. _"_ Really Sasuke-kun" she continued as she lowered herself down.

"Y-You're the only one who can...make me like this" she finished, half-moaning as they were joined again for the first time in over a month.

He was still reluctant to believe her but she didn't care; she clutched him anyway, drawing out his instincts.

When she lifted, he reached up to pull her back down. She didn't stay long, however, moving again and resisting him.

"Hinata!" he groaned, both hands reaching around to grip her bottom and forcing her to sheath him fully. But she wouldn't let him on top, so Sasuke ended up sandwiched between her body and the headrest with her arms gripped on the headrest and his face in close contact with her breasts (not that he minded).

When she had collapsed later, still laying along the length of his legs and panting, he said:

"I'm...sorry for getting so angry. I just don't-" she used a toe to playfully tap his lips. "It's okay. I just don't want you thinking I envision Naruto to get excited for our...l-lovemaking. It's you and only you" she stated again. He had just reached to play with her nipples when the baby monitor sounded. She gave him a teasing peck on the forehead before scouring the room for her robe (wherever it'd been thrown) and, finally finding it tangled in the sheets, she left to check on Satomi.

Sasuke fell back. _Can I really trust her?_

* * *

Sasuke just couldn't shake the feeling that Hinata was secretly laughing at him for being such a gullible idiot for their first three years of marriage. Was the warmth between them an illusion this whole time? Was a happy life still just as far out of his reach as before his return to Konoha?

Everyone noticed, albeit in different ways. Shikamaru realized Sasuke was distant during spars. He'd always been reserved but now there were walls not only between them but between Sasuke and Hinata.

Hinata cried nearly every night after Sasuke was asleep. Despite her genuine and profuse apology, she could sense that he still didn't trust her and that the walls he'd built up during the mission remained steadily in place. Even when they made love, which she felt she had to almost beg him to do, it was like he didn't care at all. His eyes no longer drank in her nakedness and he resisted giving himself over to pleasure until the very last.

No one realized how deep the breech was until Satomi's birthday party. Sasuke, though present and seemingly involved, barely looked at his children the entire time and spent most of the time in the corner or speaking with some visiting noblemen.

Temari cornered Hinata about it the following day. She nearly had to ferret out even the smallest detail before Hinata broke down and told her almost all of it.

"What. an. IDIOT" hissed the blonde in frustration.

"Id-i-t!" copied Shinobu, giggling happily. Hinata watched in temporary amusement as Temari's expression was torn between chastising him for using such a word and being proud.

She set him down on the floor of the tearoom so he could roam around while she and Hinata discussed it more.

"I just don't know, Temari-chan. I don't know how to get him to trust me. You k-know I don't have any more feelings for Naruto anymore..." she said, head falling into her hands.

Temari didn't know either but she hugged Hinata and tried to cheer her up the best she could.

"He'll snap out of it" she said as she turned to go home. She had to talk to Shikamaru. _Something must be done._

* * *

Summer came quickly and the heat seemed to aggravate Sasuke's cold demeanor all the more. Missions had slowed down as well as a time of peace settled over the ninja world.

Though glad to have the family together more, their relationship didn't improve at all.

Hanabi and Naruto's courting time ended and it was Kankuro's turn. Hinata had seen little of her sister but in the few brief sentences they shared she got the impression that Hanabi was indifferent toward Naruto and didn't really like the third Sand-sibling all that much. _Sis, I want you to have a love marriage too, even though it's hard sometimes..._ she thought as Hanabi walked away and her eyes caught Sasuke's. She'd been thinking about how to prove to him that she was his and his alone.

Recently, something had occurred to her and, though she was a little scared to bring it up to him, she wanted to do it soon so that they could be a whole couple again instead of him always hiding out behind the walls he'd built.

It got worse every time he went out on a mission. He reverted more and more to his stoic, uptight and nearly violent ways.

Hinata had been at loss at how to explain it to the children. Hizashi noticed it more than any of them. His daddy no longer swung him up into his arms or kissed his mommy when they'd been apart even a few minutes.

When the little almost three year old asked her about it, in the best way he knew how, she nearly broke into tears. Luckily Sasuke was out sparring with Naruto.

"Mommy, why daddy doesn't like us?"

She dropped the silverware she was cleaning, bending down to his level immediately.

"Hizashi, daddy loves all of us very much. He's just going through some bad things right now so he might not show it like he used to"

The little boy was very perceptive and much more of a feeler than Hinata had ever expected a son of Sasuke's to be, though he hid it well from their general acquaintance. In fact, most assumed the eldest was the most like is father.

"But don't worry, Hizashi" she said, tapping him on the nose and spinning him around in her arms. "Mommy will help daddy work through the bad things and then he'll be himself again. It just may take some time, okay?"

Hizashi smiled his sweet smile and nodded in understanding. He still clung to his mother as she continued the dishes. She was glad his head was over her shoulder or he would've seen that tears were streaming down her face. _I hope I'm right._

* * *

"Sasuke, you're being an ass" was all the blonde had to say as they walked off the sparing field, sweat pouring over every inch of their bodies.

Naruto had realized something was amiss when his friend didn't bolt home immediately. One question had led to another until Sasuke told him most of it.

"But she-"

"But she" nothin' " countered Naruto. "Damn I didn't know you were this insecure. She's been over me for years. She's hot for you nearly every time she looks your way. I see it when I'm in your living room playing with your kids and your eyes meet. Hell, I see it when we're all eating at Ichiraku's together.

"She's done nothing to earn your suspicions, Sasuke. In fact, she was outright with you about why she was acting the way she was instead of hiding it. If anything, Hinata's too honest and you know that. Now quit acting like a jerk"

Sasuke pouted. Well, not in so many words, but that's what Naruto dubbed it.

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed his gear. "Keep hurting her like this and you'll end up with exactly what you fear: a loveless, cold marriage. You don't know what you have, Sasuke" he said before striding off the field.

Sasuke sat alone for nearly an hour, thinking about his words. _What does he know anyway. He isn't even married._

* * *

"You all need to get away. Why don't you come with Shikamaru and I in September? Namika is due the first week of October and we want to be there for the birth!"

Hinata looked at Temari apprehensively.

"You mean it _still_ isn't better? This has been going on for months! I'm exhausted from its sheer stupidity and I cannot imagine the toll it's taking on you!" she exclaimed, angrily grating her cheese onto her sandwich.

Hinata didn't meet her eyes. "I think I've thought of a way to fix it" she admitted finally.

Temari stopped her rant. The tone in Hinata's voice was off-putting.

"Me too" said Temari grinning. "I can slap some sense into him"

Hinata blushed. "I already tried that..."

The blonde's eyes widened. "YOU slapped Uchiha Sasuke?" Damn, bet he didn't wager on his personality rubbing off on you that much!"

The two laughed in unison, using the rest of their tea date for more light-hearted conversation.

* * *

Sasuke tried not to remember the happiness of his past birthdays. This one was dull in comparison. His wife wasn't his own; he didn't know if he was his own.

And he took it out on the targets of his mission too.

When he returned home a few days later, Tsunade took in the mission report with a grimace.

"You were supposed to bring them back alive, Sasuke" she said, a little unnerved at his unflinching attitude toward the grisly details of the way he'd disposed of the bodies. _This is way more like his Avenger days._

"It was impossible I assure you..." he said in an almost disrespectful and "whatever" tone. She sighed, biting the side of her mouth.

"I'm putting you on leave of missions for the remainder of the summer and fall. You may expect your next mission on the first of November at the earliest. No questions"

He broke the door on his way out. She shouldn't interfere but she had Hinata summoned anyway. _The hell is going on._

* * *

After the former Hyuuga had explained the situation to her, she wished she wouldn't have asked. She had headache.

"And no...n-no matter what I say or do or...he doesn't listen. He's got it in his head that I'm still pining for Naruto secretly and that I've just been...stringing him along for nearly four years of marriage and I just-"

She'd promised herself not to cry in front of the Hokage. But she'd held it all in for nearly half a year. The Hokage stayed quiet as she let it all out.

"Hinata. It'll be okay but Sasuke is going to have to work himself out of the funk"

Hinata nodded. "It'll be okay Hokage-sama. I'm just sorry it's affected his service to the village..."

"Nevermind that. I've placed him on leave of missions until November so hopefully that will help him along. Meanwhile, don't let yourself think this is on you. It's on him"

Hinata nodded in thanks and returned home to a Sasuke that was already asleep in bed. She cried again, having given up trying to pretend she wanted to make love when he obviously was disgusted by her. That was three months ago and he hadn't initiated anything since.

* * *

Hinata was present the day Arakawa Shun was presented to her sister as the third and final suitor. He was taller and on the lankier side but had a quiet fortitude about his presence that was formidable. His eyes were a pleasant, deep gray and his hair was nearly as black as her father's.

She knew her sister well and knew she found him attractive within the first few moments. She giggled at Hanabi's usually composed demeanor obviously giving way to nervousness. Of course, only she observed this. No one else knew her as well nor would know that her left hand twitched ever so slightly when she was nervous or that she intentionally straightened up when something caught her eye.

The hand she held out for him to kiss was nearly shaking. And if Hinata wasn't mistaken, she saw a slight coloring on her sister's cheeks as she took his arm.

 _Well mark this one on the calendar. For once, I'm not the main branch daughter that's blushing!_

* * *

Sasuke and Hinata awkwardly passed one another in the bedroom. Hinata had had enough. She turned and tugged on his arm.

"How can I prove myself trustworthy?"

No answer. He shook her off his arm and continued toward the master bedroom door. _Just stop Hinata. Things are better this way._

"You saw the Kyuubi within Naruto, right?"

The question took him aback. He slowly turned. "Yes"

"Then you can search my mind and surely you will be able to see where my true motives lie"

A shocked silence. She'd only ever glimpsed a flash of redness in his eyes once up close. His eyes were normally warm and dark toward her.

"You don't know what you're-"

"Yes I do. I know that having you back and having you know that I love you in the truest sense is most important to me"

He considered her for a moment. Would this even work?

"So you'd let me search you now, without any preparation?"

She nodded without hesitation. He stepped forward and grabbed her hand, the first physical contact he'd initiated in a long while. His eyes were already red as they settled on the bed, facing one another.

"I...I don't want to hurt you. So don't resist me" _Could've fooled me._

"You can't more than you already have" she said and suddenly she was completely in his power. Her subconcious was vulnerable and he searched for many minutes for that which he wanted to see: lust for Naruto, yearning to be with him.

But nothing could be found. He saw and felt keenly the pain and dedication with which she had separated herself from her long standing future plans. But she had done so thoroughly.

He saw much he did not intend, including a few fantasies she had about him (and the only ones he could detect were about him). Her love and devotion for him was so strong that tears streamed down his face in the real world. Her pride in their children and in her new clan was also flourishing and she loved them deeply too.

They snapped out of it at the same time and she reached to caress his tears.

"If you ever suspect me of anything, just ask to do this again" she whispered as she thumbed his tears away. He was frozen, mortified by his distrust and treatment of her.

She left him in the quiet to think, making a mental note to bring up the trip to Suna to him later.

* * *

Sasuke's anger at himself lasted a few more days and he became a strange mixture of sheepish and venomous.

He realized with a new hope that he could have a happy life with her, one like they'd had for the previous few years.

But could they? Could they resume after all that had transpired? After all she'd trusted him through and he'd still accused her of?

He realized his children were starting to get used to his distance when he picked up Yua for the first time in weeks and she started to cry for her mother.

 _What's wrong with me?_

* * *

August was almost over when she brought up Suna.

"And if we do go, would you like to take the kids? I think we may want to leave Satomi here but it could be a nice excursion for the triplets too..."

He was wary of taking them out of the village this young. Through Naruto he trusted the Village Hidden in the Sand more than any other foreign nation but still...

"I'm afraid they'd find a way to run off and make themselves targets" he replied. She hadn't thought of it that way.

"Perhaps they'd better stay here then but Hanabi is occupied with Shun and most of clan is otherwise engaged at this time of year and I don't want to dump four children on anyone else..."

Sasuke thought for a minute. "Very well, let's take them with us. But we'll have to have Naruto come too so he can help corral them" _And as an extra deterrent for possible attack_ was the unspoken reason between them.

Hinata smiled at the gesture of friendship and reconciliation. "I don't think he'll mind a trip to see Gaara"

* * *

 _No, I don't know if Sharingan can be used that way but for this story it can._

 _As for those of you who think Hinata is becoming "too house-wifey" I don't really know what you mean by that. She's still going on missions?_

 _Also: how's the balance? Too much fluff not enough action? Too much/ not enough of anything?_

 _I know this is a tad shorter than normal but this was the best breaking point!_

 _As always, reviews are appreciated!_


	23. Chapter 23

As the three Naras, the five Uchihas and Naruto set out on their journey, the triplets eyes grew wide as they passed the front gate of Konoha. The two boys, who clung to their father's back, clutched him tighter and Yua dug her face into her mother's neck.

They had explained to them that they were going on a trip to see another land but the triplets had never gone past the front gate before. Sasuke thought about the hundreds of times he had exited this gate. _The world is still so new to them_ he realized abruptly.

Hinata and Sasuke still had not reconnected physically and having three triplets sprawled out between you in bed was hardly conducive to such a thing. Sasuke awoke to feminine giggles as he realized his youngest son's rear was in his face and Hizashi was somehow drooling on his forehead.

Hinata and Yua looked like they had had a pleasant night's sleep with their hair barely mussed. Yua's hair was long enough to put in two ponytails now, though she normally wore it down.

Sasuke picked up his still groggy sons, a playful annoyance written across his face. Without thinking, he leaned over and pecked Hinata on the lips in the early morning sunlight. Her wide eyes reminded him sharply of his behavior over the past months.

She shook herself out of it, stirring the boys the rest of the way and getting them dressed while Sasuke showered.

Somehow, they had beat the Naras downstairs to the inn. Emerging fifteen minutes later at a half-past seven, Temari looked furious.

"I've been up since FIVE THIRTY" she huffed with a still sleepy-eyed Shinobu in tow. "And the baby has been up since SIX THIRTY" she said, shooting a glare at her husband who was still yawning.

"This lazy-ass didn't get up until TEN minutes ago. Sorry we're late. Let's hit the road!"

"Mommy, what is Suna?" asked Hiraku from Sasuke's back. She smiled. "Suna is another village like ours, only surrounded by sand. It's where your aunt Temari was born and where lived until she married Shikamaru"

"I'm glad she lives with us" Yua said, settling in for the journey. Hinata thought she saw Temari's mouth twist into a grin but she could've imagined it. Satisfied, the Uchiha children were quiet for the most part for the duration of the journey. Though the had opted not to jump through the trees, they took off with some speed across the desert.

"Wow! I didn't know mommy and daddy were so fast!" exclaimed Hiraku, feeling the wind whip over his face.

* * *

Thankfully, the rest of the trip was uneventful and they arrived on the morning before the triplets' third birthday.

Gaara and Namika were both at the gates to greet them. Temari embraced Gaara warmly and was ecstatic to see Namika's heavy and healthy form. She also grinned when she realized Gaara hadn't been able to keep her indoors in the summer, as was custom with pregnant Suna women.

The triplets shyly took in the scene from over their parents' shoulders.

"Mama, who's that?" Yua whispered. The man in blue was wearing something like she'd seen the blonde lady at home wearing.

"He's the leader of this village, like Hokage-sama is for Konoha. They call him the Kazekage and he is aunt Temari's brother" she whispered back.

"Wow!" Yua exclaimed a little loudly, drawing attention to herself. She tried to hide in her mother's waterfall of hair.

"Ah, the already much-talked of Uchiha triplets" said Namika, grinning at the little girl. Hinata set her down and her brothers were right behind her, nearly jumping off their father's back to get between their sister and this strange man and lady.

"You're good brothers" the lady said. They grinned.

"You look like my mommy did before we got a new sister. Are you getting a new baby too?" asked Hiraku innocently. Though Hizashi was equally as curious, he kept his questions to himself more than his more whimsical brother did.

Hinata was embarrassed but Namika wasn't perturbed in the least.

"Yes, I am"

"I hope you have a girl. She'd be really pretty" Hizashi said, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. Since his brother had already spoken, the eldest felt compelled to contribute.

The adults laughed. "Careful Gaara, you might have some smooth competition for your wife" joked Naruto, ruffling the two Uchiha boys' hair.

He seemed to appreciate the comment and a slight grin could even be seen on his face. The triplets stayed quiet as the adults exchanged short conversations before heading to their quarters. They were all staying with the Kazekage this time.

Once Gaara had left to attend a council meeting (his eyes lingered on his wife a little bit longer than normal), Temari showed the Uchihas to their room.

"Hey, you turn three turn three tomorrow right?" Temari said, watching the triplets' eyes light up as they rejoined the others in the living room after the tour.

" That's a special birthday! How about you have a sleepover in my room tonight to celebrate?" she offered, her eyes carefully not meeting Shikamaru's. _How troublesome._

 _"_ SLEEPOVER!" exclaimed Yua. Then the triplets huddled together like they'd seen the adults do and somehow in a mixture of broken words and gurgling happy noises, they came to the conclusion that they would like to have a sleepover in aunt Temari's room.

"Temari-chan, you don't have to do that..." said Hinata quietly. She knew what her friend was up to.

"Please mama?" asked Yua, still clutching her mom's leg.

"Yeah, "please mama?" laughed Temari, copying Yua's plea.

Hinata sighed and her eyes met Sasuke's whose eyebrows raised for the first time in a long time.

"Very well. But all three of you better be on your best behavior" she warned. Squeals of excitement and chaos ensued. The triplets made themselves at home and nearly terrorized the Kazekage mansion most of the afternoon. They explored every inch of the downstairs and Namika was extremely amused.

Naruto was assigned to entertain them most of the time and they spent hours being chased by his clones. Shinobu, though not quite as good at running as the three year olds, tried his best and one of the older ones was usually more than happy to carry him a short way.

Meanwhile, the three women grew more acquainted with one another. Namika had heard of Hinata and was curious to know her better. She was certainly soft looking and she was as lovely as everyone said. But there was a quiet resilience in her presence too. She had heard some call her shy but the woman in her living room was pretty much at ease. She'd also heard the Hyuuga-Uchiha marriage had been a political one but the bits she'd seen of their relationship bespoke much more.

They were warming to each other nicely as the conversation drew on. Hinata found Namika was bearing pregnancy well, despite intense vertigo and trouble keeping food down. She also found the Kazekage's wife could very much relate to her situation growing up though the subject was barely touched on.

Shikamaru and Sasuke had found a sparring field to entertain themselves, enjoying the change in scenery and the challenge of sandy terrain.

Temari had briefed Shikamaru slightly on the problems going on with the Uchihas. He was concerned but didn't know how to get Sasuke to see Naruto was no threat and Hinata was no adulteress. Sasuke had answered to only himself and his point of view for too long.

"How're things with Hinata?" Shikamaru broached as they finished a round, him narrowly missing a lighting strike.

"Okay" was all the answer he got until he pushed a little further. Sasuke normally talked a little bit more than that to him.

"Are you two having a dry spell?" the look gave Shikamaru enough of an answer.

"Well it's about damn time. All the guys have been crazy envious for months. It's good to know that you two have some issues in that troublesome department" he said, trying to draw Sasuke out.

"It wasn't intentional"

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I just...didn't want to if she was going to imagine Naruto the whole time"

A chip fell off the wall. And then another. And soon Sasuke was explaining the whole story to the Shadow User as the sun sank low into the sky.

He actually talked for almost three whole minutes. Shikamaru, though stunned, listened quietly. Sasuke didn't normally just spill like this but it'd been on his mind all day since they had kissed in the inn this morning.

"And now I just...just don't know how to..."

"Initiate things again?" Shikamaru finished. He'd had the same problem with Temari a couple months after Shinobu was born. He was amazed at Hinata's insistence, that she would even let him use his abilities on her...

Sasuke nodded. Shikamaru was silent for a few moments.

"Well, all I can say is Hinata is a forgiving woman who has missed you these past few months. She'll understand"

Sasuke was going to say that he didn't understand but then he thought about who Shikamaru's wife was.

"And thanks to my wife, it looks like you have all night to do it...as troublesome as that will be for me" he said, laughing as he hopped up from their break.

Sasuke still had no idea what he was going to do but he knew he should...wanted...to do something.

"Oi, you ready to get creamed again?" asked Shikamaru, getting into a ready stance. Sasuke grinned. _You've sure gotten more enthusiastic about sparring._

"The sand isn't THAT much of a disadvantage" he retorted, appearing behind Shikamaru and throwing him (a little gently) into the nearest sand dune.

* * *

Gaara had returned from the meeting when Naruto was still chasing the triplets (and his nephew) around the house.

"Is this what children are like?" he asked, jokingly covering his ears as he stood behind his wife.

"No" laughed Temari. "Only Uchiha children" she joked back and Hinata grinned.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama. Other children are much louder!" she said and Gaara's eyes temporarily showed the slightest hint of fear.

Just at that moment, Hizashi appropriately crashed into Gaara's legs. His brother and sister managed to stop short and look up in a sort of awe and fear.

"S...sorry Kaz-kag-sama" he sputtered, backing up instinctively. The women chuckled, knowing more of Gaara and not fearing him. Gaara's sand lifted little Hizashi into his arms.

"You're more polite than my own brother, little Uchiha" he said, obviously amused. Hizashi looked pleased as the red head sat him back down. Naruto, clones dissipated, appeared with Shinobu in tow.

He handed him to his mother and met Gaara with a warm handshake.

"It's good to see you, Naruto. When my brother-in-law and Sasuke-san return, we shall eat dinner" he announced.

"Good, I'm starving!" exclaimed Naruto, eyeing the triplets.

"Almost hungry enough to devour three little kids!" he exclaimed, drawing out giggles as they bolted from him.

* * *

Dinner was quiet as the children were worn out and they easily followed Temari's request to turn in early. Gaara invited both Sasuke and Naruto to enjoy some after dinner sake with him privately, leaving Namika and Hinata to themselves.

The Kazekage's wife stood suddenly mid-conversation. "E-Excuse me, Hinata-san. I think I'm going to-"

She didn't finish before vomiting, despite having eaten mainly salad and nothing fatty.

"Here! Let me help you!" Hinata said, rising instantly and holding the other woman's hair back during the next three vomiting episodes. They'd managed to make it to the sink.

"I think it's over" Namika said, extremely embarrassed. She slowly straightened up from being bent over the sink, glad here due date was in a little over a week.

"Good" Hinata replied, helping the woman back to her seat. She rinsed out the sink and ran some saltwater through it for the smell before returning to Namika.

"Are you okay? Is there anything I can do for you?"

Namika was amazed. This woman certainly wasn't like other noble women she'd met. They would have been upset with her for her extreme lack of propriety shown in allowing herself to vomit.

"Make this baby come" she joked. Hinata smiled.

"Yes, I was like that too at the end of Satomi's pregnancy. It'll come. Do you know the gender?"

She shook her head. "I wanted a surprise...much to Gaara-kun's annoyance..." she admitted. Hinata thought it a little strange to hear the intimidating Kazekage referred to so affectionately but she realized belatedly that people probably thought the same about her addressing the infamous Uchiha like she did.

"I'm feeling a little worn out. Just watching those triplets of yours is tiring. I'm going to retire"

Hinata nodded in understanding. "And Hinata-san" said the woman over her shoulder as she headed to bed.

"You and Sasuke-san are in a pretty secluded bedroom. Just in case you were worried about noise"

Hinata reddened in reply. _Was their sex life that gossiped about in noble circles?_

Namika grinned. _So the famous blush finally makes an appearance._

* * *

Sasuke hadn't wanted to stay so long with his friend and the Kazekage but they discussed many future events and things they wanted to see in an alliance between the Sand and Leaf.

Near the end, Gaara asked an important question: "Do you think you will ally yourself through marriage into the Hyuuga clan?"

Unknowingly having brought up a sensitive subject, Naruto answered carefully but honestly:

"The courtship went well and I know I am the Hyuuga council's choice but Hanabi-san and I aren't particularly fond of one another. And, though different than her sister, Hanabi and Hinata are the same in that they have trouble doing anything their whole heart is not invested in"

The last line hit Sasuke particularly hard.

"So I should expect for you to be a single Hokage for quite some time, you think?" Gaara asked. He didn't really care whether his friend married or not. That choice was his to make and he would support him in his decision. But Namika had brought him so much challenge but so much happiness that he wanted the same for his friend. He also was curious for political reasons.

"That's probably a good expectation" answered Naruto. He really didn't feel anything special for Hanabi. And, to be honest, she looked so much like Hinata that he was afraid he'd say the wrong name if they were ever intimate and he didn't want to make the young girl endure that sort of marriage.

Sasuke realized the women had already retired as he passed back through the kitchen. His heart rate increased and kept increasing as he neared their bedroom. _Would she be there? Was she already asleep? Would she reject his advances again?_

He didn't realize he'd been standing outside the door for nearly a minute. A very feminine voice on the other side roused him out of his musings.

"Sasuke-kun, why are you just standing there?"

 _To hell with this. I'm Sasuke Uchiha_ he thought as he all but burst through the door. _S-s-she's already naked..._

* * *

Hinata was woken up with kisses and gentle pinches on her nipples.

She was surprised. They'd been up until at least two...

"Hinata-chan, we have several months to make up for" he said, enjoying the bloom on her cheeks for the first time in months. He lifted her out of bed and thrust her into the wall next to the door to the balcony. By the light outside, it was still fairly early.

But she didn't dwell on it. "S-Sasuke-kun!" she keened at a volume he was sure others would hear if they were in any surrounding rooms. He chanted her name back to her in frantic whispers, kissing her neck.

Hinata found at the end of the next several minutes that orgasm was an effective counter agent to grogginess. Sasuke was alarmed, however, when he found the gumption to lift himself from the wall and saw tears running down her face.

He withdrew from her immediately, stepping back and nearly making her lose balance.

"Did...did I hurt you?" he asked. He knew he'd neglected her physically for months and that she'd been very tight...did that hurt women?

More tears. She shook her head and jumped into his arms. "No, I'm just so happy and relieved..." she said with a mixture of excitement and elation.

He stroked her hair. "O...kay?"

* * *

Hinata sent Sasuke down before her to sort of get a read on just how loud they'd been. He'd still been pretty timid but just his touch after months of pining drove her pretty wild.

Sasuke barely even met Naruto's eyes before he knew that he knew and that likely everyone else did too.

"Good morning" greeted Sasuke. Naruto grinned a mischievous grin.

"Not nearly as good as yours, I'd bet" he said and Shikamaru laughed as he just entered the living room.

"Yeah, I'd say last night wasn't nearly as troublesome for you as it was for Temari-chan and I...or perhaps in a different way..." insinuated Shikamaru.

"You two are such children" said Sasuke, almost having the urge to roll his eyes. _I've spent too much time around Temari._ He checked for close chakra signatures before questioning quietly:

"We weren't that loud...were we?"

The other two burst out laughing. Gaara seemed to appear out of nowhere, like he was prone to do.

"Sasuke-san, I'm just glad my child is not born yet or you and your wife would have surely woken it up" he stated with such a straight face that Naruto and Shikamaru both tumbled to the floor in laughter.

Gaara continued. "Honestly, I've heard the rumors but never imagined them to be quite so accurate. I thought that bedroom would be plenty secluded. You two sounded like a newly wedded couple! I thought a upper class couple would have more control!"

Shikamaru appeared to be dying and Naruto sounded somewhat like a sick goose. _I am seriously not listening to Gaara-the Kazekage-chastise THE Sasuke Uchiha about his active sex life._

"Blame me, my love. I told Hinata-san before she retired that they didn't have to worry about noise" Namika's voice sounded from the staircase where she'd just descended from.

Sasuke was outright embarrassed and the blush peppering his cheeks encouraged more laughter but he couldn't resist throwing in:

"That _was_ control, Kazekage-sama"

The red head clearly wasn't expecting this response and Namika laughed heartily as his expression changed from slightly bemused to semi-embarrassed to have brought up such a private matter. He was normally much more diplomatic but his wife needed her sleep...

"Aunt Temari, why are uncle Shikamaru and Naruto on the floor?" a small voice asked at that moment. Temari came in with three little Uchihas in tow.

"Because they're silly" she replied, barely reigning in her own laughter as she released them and all three pounced on Shikamaru, who was nearest.

"Breakfast should be ready" Gaara stated, completely dropping the previous subject and trying to erase the entire conversation from his memory.

Hinata finally dared to come down just as breakfast was being served. She didn't dare, however, to meet anyone's eyes and ate quietly, nearly jumping as Temari suggested that the girls spend the day shopping.

"That sounds lovely" Hinata said, looking forward to it. "We can take Yua with us and leave the boys with the men"

"OI! That's not fair! You get one and we get two!" exclaimed Naruto.

The table laughed. "It's usually the other way around. Not tired, are you Naruto?" asked Temari, grinning as she knew he would rise to the challenge.

"N-No...it's just..." he started, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

The morning ended on a high note, though everyone tried not to notice the way Sasuke caught Hinata's eye before they departed.

* * *

Temari attempted to drag them into a lingerie store just after lunch. They'd ended up putting Yua down for a nap with Naruto on guard.

"Temari-chan, I don't know if we want to do this, given last night..." mentioned Namika slyly.

Neither of them had mentioned it to her with Yua around but she blushed deeply.

"I-I'm...sorry..." she said.

The other two grinned. "At least we know the rumors are true" Namika said.

"R-Rumors? Oh no..."

The other two laughed. "It's mainly just among our friend circle. Don't worry, it's all in good fun"

Temari picked up a pair of off-white lacy lingerie and held it up to Hinata. "This'll do him in for sure. Although none of us will sleep tonight. Try it on"

Hinata was hopeless to say no. She did and shyly showed them in the private dressing room. She had to admit, Temari had an eye for these kinds of things.

"Damn, I'm good. I don't know if you should buy it though...I barely explained away the noises to your children last night..."

Hinata blushed. "Plus, you already have a few pieces of lingerie, right?"

Hinata looked away. "Not...not ones that are intact..."

Temari looked aghast. "He even tore the ones I left for you the last time you were here?"

She was shuffling her feet. "Um...I...um...t-tore those...I think...if I remember correctly.. I lose track..." she said, studying the ceiling.

Temari was in a rare shock but said nothing more about it. Hinata bought the set and joined Temari in convincing Namika to buy a lovely white combo.

"I don't really like for him to look at me now...this would just draw attention..."

"Nonsense! You're still hot!" insisted Temari. Hinata understood a little more and reached out to Namika.

"I felt the same way too but pregnancy often stirs a man's affections in different ways"

Namika looked down. Normally she was so stoic but this pregnancy was reeking havoc.

"We...we haven't really...touched since I was about four months along and started to show..." her voice trailed off.

Hinata placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes men can be weird about it during pregnancy. You wanted this baby to come, right? This can help" Hinata said, winking.

All three ladies exited the shop with purchases.

"So do you want to have a volume competition tonight, ladies? The triplets can sleep with "uncle Naruto"..." suggested Temari.

The other two looked aghast. "But how will he explain all the racket?"

Temari's eyebrows wiggled in amusement. "That's _his_ problem"

* * *

I'm sorry I'm sorry I just had to stop writing there because I'm cracking up.

Next one will be longer and cover a greater span of time (and be less sexual), I promise but I'm just enjoying writing about these relationships so much! Plus after that last chapter (and some coming ones...DUN DUN DAH!) we needed (I needed) a lighter chapter. Woohoo!

-Pi-chan! :)


	24. Chapter 24

Naruto tossed and turned, trying to drown out the myriad of noises. _Never. "vacationing" with. married. couples. again. EVER. BELIEVE IT._

Somehow, the triplets were sound asleep through it all and Shinobu had only woken up once. _I bet you all are used to this racket. That must be it. UGH this is worse than living with Ero-Sennin!_

* * *

Temari was the first to stir in the morning. She gazed tenderly at her husband, still snoozing lazily and contentedly beside her. He'd actually been pretty enthusiastic about the competition last night and couldn't believe the husbands had actually agreed. Or seemingly so, since both of them seemed to have participated.

"I love you" she whispered quietly as she stood from the bed. A hand stretched out to wrap around her waist and pull her back down.

"OI! Are you awake! Shikamaru!" she said, trying to pull away. But his grip tightened and he snuggled next to her. Asleep or not, she wasn't getting away.

* * *

Gaara, who hadn't really slept, rose not too much later. He hated the thought of leaving for his office in an hour and a half. Namika, though normally an early riser like himself, had been sleeping later during the pregnancy. She was still fast asleep and he traced her naked outline with his green eyes, seemingly unfeeling. But inside he was deeply moved by love not only for her but for the child he was so ready to meet inside her belly. Protectiveness swirled in his veins and he gently pecked her protruding belly button before forcing himself to get ready for a long day's work as Kazekage.

She smiled as she felt the kiss in her sleep and heard the familiar, comforting noises of her husband stirring beside her.

* * *

Hinata beat Sasuke awake this time. His arms were securely fastened around her waist in a protective and tender embrace.

She laid there a little while, thinking about how much he meant to her as he watched the former last Uchiha's chest rise and fall in a calm sleep.

 _I'm so glad that my life is with you_ she sighed inwardly as she snuggled against him. _Naruto could watch the triplets a little longer._

* * *

An exhausted looking Naruto was already in the living room, corralling four well-rested children under the age of four.

Gaara was the first to come down the stairs. He was going to greet Naruto but stopped short at the look he was being given.

"Nar-"

"No. Say no more. I heard it all" Naruto said, putting his hand out to stop his friend. Gaara wisely left him alone, noting the circles under his eyes were pretty outstanding.

Shikamaru came down next.

"Ohiy-"

"You're troublesome, you know that?" Naruto asked, a frown marring his mouth. Shikamaru also left him alone, going instead into the kitchen to talk bets with Gaara. He'd been surprised his stoic and very private brother-in-law had agreed to it but since Namika, after nearly five months of abstinence, had initiated it the Kazekage had been powerless (although he'd never admit as much.)

They were still discussing the winner when their wives came down a few minutes later. Naruto, the triplets, Shinobu and the other four adults all waited for almost fifteen minutes for the Uchihas to join them for breakfast.

All four pairs of trained ears heard it at the same time. Distant moaning. Naruto was either too tired to hear it or had tuned it out.

"You've got to be kidding me. _Again?"_

"How do they do it?"

Nothing more was heard and Sasuke joined them about fifteen minutes later, stretching and grinning slyly at the other husbands. Shikamaru and Gaara sighed in unison.

"Yeah yeah" said Shikamaru. _Damn. On the sparring field and in the bedroom too._

"Daddy!" exclaimed three small voices in unison. He smiled and greeted them each in turn before sitting down for breakfast.

"Daddy, where mommy?" asked Yua.

The adults wisely kept quiet and stuffed food in their mouths.

"Mommy is taking a shower. She'll be down soon" he replied with a straight face.

She joined them soon, graceful as ever as she settled across from her husband after pecking each triplet on the forehead.

"Mommy, we miss sleeping with you and daddy. Can we tonight?" asked Hizashi, speaking for his other siblings as well.

The other adults were trying their best not to lose it and Shikamaru started having a strange coughing spell.

"Of course you can" she replied, smiling at them before returning to her morning soup.

* * *

Hinata faced her opponent. Everyone, especially Sasuke and Naruto, had gotten a little stir crazy indoors over the last three days as a rare consistent rain had pitter-patered on the Sunian rooftops.

Hinata was sparring with Kankurou. Sasuke didn't show it but he was a little nervous. They never sparred together because it wouldn't really accomplish anything (he would never go full out against her) and he hadn't really ever had an opportunity to watch her spar.

They started and the puppet master knew he had a bad draw. _Those damn eyes of hers see everything._

And since his fingers were attached to the puppets (of which he had now mastered six) she could see when any one of them was going to move. Even more than that, she could see the chakra strings and sever them.

After ten minutes, three of his puppets were disabled. Hinata was breathing only faintly heavier than normal. All watched with intense interest.

Namika, having not witnessed the Hyuuga fighting style so up close before, was taken aback a little bit. _Such perception..._

She was also worrying Gaara by getting too hyped up from the match, cheering Hinata on and making jabs at the air. He'd already tried to get her to calm down twice to no avail, especially when Temari joined her.

The triplets, who had been allowed to watch only after some heavy debate between Hinata and Sasuke, looked as if their eyes were about to bulge out of their heads.

And Sasuke...well, he was an odd mixture of slightly worried but also incredibly horny. He didn't mean to be... but watching her focus so intently and move in such a mixture of grace and deadliness was...exhilarating. He needed to watch this more often...

 _CRASH._ Another puppet down.

The middle Sand sibling was not one for strategy, but the rest of the ninja saw it. She'd been luring him for a few minutes now.

Sasuke saw a small upturn of her lips. _There!_

"Kankurou" she said. They'd been parrying for a few minutes and she'd just severed more of his chakra strings. He looked at her.

"You're in range" she said, immediately taking stance: _J_ _ūkenhō: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō!_

 _She's so quick!_

They were right about that, Sasuke surmised, although he had little trouble following her movements.

"SIXTY FOUR!" she shouted and puppet and puppet master alike crashed to the ground.

* * *

It'd been a while and Hinata felt pretty good about her victory as she rejoined the others in the visiting balcony. Sasuke wanted her and wanted her _now._

"I'll take you on next, Uchiha" called Temari, enthusiastically. He squeezed Hinata's hand and she cocked her head at him. Then she saw it his eyes. _Oh..._

He left her to spar with Temari next. _I'll make short work of this._

But she was more than he bargained for. Nothing he couldn't handle, of course, but he wouldn't really use the full extent of his Sharingan except in serious combat.

"Go Daddy!" both Hizashi and Hiraku were cheering while Yua was torn. She wanted them both to win...

They were quiet, though, as they watched the match.

Temari's wind sliced him up pretty good but it ended with her fan scorched beyond use and she was forced to forfeit.

The others applauded, even though they knew Sasuke hadn't used near his full strength.

As Naruto and the Kazekage headed out onto the field for a spar, Hinata tugged on Sasuke's hand.

"I'm going to go bandage him up, watch the triplets" she said, pulling her husband away. The others nodded, eyes intent on the match. Although watching them wouldn't be hard, as the little ones wanted to see the match too.

* * *

"You're too hot" he whispered. His body was all but smashing Hinata's body into the wall of the empty room inside the sparring complex.

His move had been sudden but not all that unexpected.

"nnn...Sasuke we'll have to be q-quick..." she panted, moving to undo her sparring pants. She was tired but the look in his eyes got to her and with the triplets they hadn't gotten to be intimate in a few days...

"Let me" he replied, expertly sliding them down and her underwear a few seconds later.

He nearly whined in need as he rubbed against her. His chest stimulated her nipples through her shirt and he was starting to undress her the rest of the way when she whispered:

"D-Don't bother"

"H-Hinata..."

"I'm ready" she replied, her naked legs hooking around his waist.

He didn't need any further encouragement.

* * *

The spar was just ending when they returned. No one ever commented on the fact that Sasuke's bandages were sort of askew or not very professionally done as per normal Hinata fashion.

The triplets, however, were asking if they could be ninja too and do cool moves like Naruto or move like daddy or jump like mommy.

"Yes, but you'll do your very own stuff that's not like anyone else's because each ninja is different" Hinata explained, smiling. This seemed to please them, although Hiraku still wanted to make "ten million" clones.

Temari went back to Shinobu, who had caught a slight cold and had been placed with the house nanny for the day, almost immediately when they returned home.

The next few days passed without much significance until one morning, Namika came into the living room where Hinata was playing with the triplets. Naruto had wanted a break and was having lunch with Gaara, Sasuke and some of the other important noblemen of Suna. Shikamaru and Temari were on a date, having left Shinobu to have some quality time at his uncle Kankurou's house.

"Hinata-san, I-I think I'm in labor..."

Hinata hushed the triplets immediately. "Since when?"

"Well, I've been having Braxton-Hicks for two days now and I thought they were the same this morning when Gaara-kun left but...they're getting more painful..."

Hinata came to her side, helping her time them.

"They're about seven minutes apart...do you feel like walking or not?"

"Walking? I thought..."

Hinata explained several things about labor to her, including dismissing the silly notion that she had to deliver on her back.

"I feel so much better with you here..." the woman confessed, gritting her teeth as the next contraction set in.

The contractions drew closer together over the next few hours. Hinata started to wonder where everyone else could be.

"Sweethearts" Hinata said, addressing the triplets. "I need you to do something very grown up for mommy"

They nodded, instinctively sensing the seriousness of the situation.

"I want you to go find the groundskeeper-the man with the long beard that Hiraku thinks looks like a red panda-and tell him that the Kazekage's wife is going to have a baby. Can you do that?"

They nodded.

"He should be somewhere near the house" Namika said. The three triplets held hands and ran out of the mansion, looking for the man in question.

Namika hissed in pain, feeling the baby come down.

"Squatting helps sometimes. Would you like to squat?" she asked, helping to steady the woman against the couch.

She sighed in relief. "This feels much better, thank y-youuuuuuuu!" she groaned, leaning into the next contraction.

* * *

Meanwhile, three pairs of feet had run everywhere around the mansion they could think of. Finally, Hizashi spotted aunt Temari's blonde pig tails just over a hedge.

Temari was surprised to hear three squeals of "aunt Temari," especially without supervision.

"Well hello! Were you little rascals already able to get away from your parents? What-"

"Aunt Temari, the sand lady is having her baby now and mommy needs help!" Yua exclaimed, most of the words tumbling out broken because she was so hyped. Temari had to have her repeat herself three times, with Hizashi and Hiraku interjecting.

When she finally got the gist, she told the triplets to stay with Shikamaru while she went inside. When she found Namika in the throes of transition, she bolted back outside to have Shikamaru go get the Kazekage and take the triplets with him. He didn't complain, scooping the three up and quickly carrying out the errand.

* * *

"W-Where's Gaara?" she asked for the third time.

"He'll be here soon" Hinata and Temari assured her. They'd let her stay clothed as long as possible but the woman had undressed herself voluntarily, claiming to be hot.

"A-Are you sure I can't puuush?" she whined, the need to bear down over taking her. Her legs were propped up on the edge of the coffee table and she was held on the edge of the couch by Hinata and Temari.

"Not yet" Hinata said firmly. She'd had Sasuke explain to her the basics of checking dilation, just in case something happened and she ever had to deliver alone.

"You're only 8 centimeters. I know it's frustrating but you'll just have to wait. You'll want to be open fully"

Namika trusted her but barely held back pushes.

 _Gaara...where are you?_

* * *

The Kazekage's abrupt standing and nearly running out of the chambers alarmed those gathered. Shikamaru awkwardly stepped inside to explain.

"There's no national crisis everyone. The Kazekage's wife is just in labor and is about to deliver..."

Shouts of celebration went up around the room. Sasuke and Naruto hurried to Shikamaru's side, the triplets immediately hugging their dad.

He explained and the three men rushed back, catching up to Gaara as he just stood outside and started at the door.

"Gaara, what-" Naruto started but Sasuke could see the man was visibly shaken. There were pained moans emanating from behind the door.

"Kazekage-sama" addressed Sasuke. "It's a bloody, painful, and sorta gross process to witness the one you love go through. But you'll be glad you did and she'll want you there"

Shikamaru joined him. "Yeah, I missed mine and regret it. Get in there!" he encouraged.

Gaara took a deep breath, opened the door and walked in (perhaps with a tiny shove from the other married men).

* * *

"Namika-san, you can push now if you want to" Hinata said, withdrawing her fingers.

"Not without Gaara..."

"He'll be here but we need to focus on the baby"

She was already making good progress when she heard the door open.

"Gaara!" she said, temporarily distracted. He rushed to her side immediately. He was a bit taken aback to find her naked but settled at her side immediately, both of her hands coming to grip his arm for leverage.

"Namika-san, would you like Temari-chan and I to leave or..."

She shook her head adamantly and, if Hinata wasn't mistaken, Gaara did too although less obviously.

"He doesn't know anything about birthin' babies..." she said and Temari held one of her legs back as she bore down again.

"Could you um...apprise me of the current situation?" Gaara asked hesitantly. Hinata giggled and informed him of the progress so far.

Namika pushed long into the afternoon. Finally, when the red sunset outside was in its last light, Namika squealed.

"Kazekage-sama, the head's coming! Would you like to watch? Oh! The baby has your red hair!" exclaimed Hinata as she glimpsed it.

 _Head...coming...what?_

Though he didn't faint or vomit, Gaara's eyes were wide as the head of his first child emerged.

Hinata showed him how to catch the baby while Temari steadied him and, though he shook a little, his eyes met Namika's before she gave the final push.

"It's a girl!" exclaimed Hinata, giving the Kazekage a few moments to admire the squalling squirmy just-born in his arms.

 _A girl..._

* * *

Temari went with Hinata as she took stats on the newborn to give Gaara and his wife a few moments of privacy before the placenta delivery.

"Temari-chan, would you like to weigh your niece?" she asked quietly. Temari cried a few tears. _It's just...Gaara's come so far..._

"If you tell cry-baby this..." she warned. Hinata promised her secrecy but inside was overjoyed.

They returned. "8lbs, 3oz and 21inches long, born at exactly 6:00pm on October 1st" recited Hinata, handing her to the Kazekage whose eyes drank in this new being with unconcealed love. He even bent to nuzzle her nose with his.

The door opened about an hour later. Sasuke, Shikamaru, Naruto, and Kankurou stood immediately. Though announced at the meeting, word had not spread far enough yet for much of a crowd to be gathered.

Gaara stood in the doorway with a little pink blanket in his arms. Namika was resting in their bedroom and the mess had been sufficiently cleaned up by Hinata and Temari.

"My friend" he said, indicating Sasuke."I cannot thank your wife enough"

He then motioned them forward. "I would like you all to meet my daughter, Sabaku no Akane, princess of the Sand"

Naruto cried. Both Sasuke and Naruto clasped him on the shoulder.

"A girl, Gaara? Are you ser-" Kankurou started and Gaara fixed him with a glare so cold he nearly wet himself.

They gathered around, remarking about her. Naruto commented about her hair, saying it almost reminded him of his mother's.

Sasuke slipped in to see Hinata who, though looking worn, had a peaceful smile on her face. He pecked her on the forehead and settled beside her.

The triplets were eventually allowed to see the new baby. They shyly approached their aunt Temari who was holding her very red-headed niece on the couch. She gently laid the baby against the top of her legs and let the triplets come up together to see her.

"She's tiny!" exclaimed Hiraku. "Mama, were we ever this small?"

Hinata, who was watching carefully, nodded. "Smaller" said Sasuke.

Hiraku turned his head back to observe the small person. Gaara was already very watchful and had been neglecting his Kazekage duties in the past days since his daughter's birth. He was even thinking about having a bassinet installed in his office.

Suddenly, Yua leaned over quickly to peck the newborn girl on her forehead then ran back to her mother, causing giggles throughout the room. Hiraku and Hizashi, just as fascinated but less expressive, quietly watched her squirm for a few more seconds before Hiraku gently touched her hair and Hizashi kissed her little hand. Then they also ran back to their parents. That night, in the cool last light of an early autumn evening, Gaara presented the village with his daughter and nearly cried himself as cheers and hugs flowed freely. _We're becoming a village once again..._

The Uchihas departed from Suna the next day, glad to have bonded and made such close friends of the Kazekage. Hinata and Namika promised to exchange letters. Temari and Shikamaru would stay a few days longer but must return soon to prepare for the next Chuunin exams. _Already time for them again..._

As they ran across the desert, the triplets were full of questions:

"Will I ever be as fast as you, daddy?" Hizashi wanted to know most of all.

"Daddy, when can we start learning to run like this?" asked Yua.

"Mommy, when can I shoot fire?" inquired Hiraku.

Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata all laughed but inwardly they all thought the same thing: _too soon._

* * *

Satomi was overjoyed to see her parents and her walking had steadily improved in the short time they'd been gone. She walked with more confidence and didn't constantly cling to the couch anymore.

Hinata was smothering her with kisses when Hanabi slyly tugged on her sleeve. Hinata had not seen her younger sister in quite some time and was surprised by her somewhat frazzled appearance.

"Hinata, can I please talk to you privately?" she asked. Hinata handed Satomi to Sasuke and followed her sister, wondering what this could be about.

She was overcome with memories as she entered her sister's bedroom. Hanabi turned to her.

"Sis, I don't know what to do. I have to give the counsel a final decision tomorrow morning and I just don't know whom to choose" she spilled at once.

 _This must really be bothering you if you're not beating around the bush._

"I thought you only had three days to decide-"

"I did but convinced them to give me a week because I wanted your advice..." Hanabi admitted.

"Oh Hinata, I don't want to get married!" she exclaimed, half in frustration and half in sadness. She ranted and ranted about the clan and how all of this was too much. Hinata held her as she broke down under the undue stress.

A while later after she quieted, Hinata whispered: "Marriage isn't all that bad you know"

"Maybe for you" Hanabi said bitterly.

"And maybe not for you either, Hanabi-chan. Whom have you chosen?"

"The council desperately wants me to marry Naruto" she replied.

"And you want that too?"

Hanabi jerked her head away. "Does it really matter what I want?"

Hinata took her hand. "Yes, yes it does Hanabi-chan. You will rule this clan one day and now is a damn fine time to start" Hinata said bluntly, surprised her sister was being so easily overrun.

"If you marry someone you don't want to, you'll have a lot harder time cooperating with them and building the clan you want to see built"

"Hinata I don't want this responsibility. I want to go on missions and be a ninja. I don't want-"

"But it's yours now" reminded Hinata. "I know you'll do great, sis. But it'll be even harder on you if you don't pick someone you like at least somewhat romantically. Lasting romantic love can be grown but is even harder to start, trust me" she said, winking.

"But if I choose Shun..."

"Then the council will have to go along with your decision. He's an eligible nobleman and would be a strong tie in Mountain country"

She smiled and a slight blush actually appeared on her cheeks. "Then I-I think I will..."

Hinata hugged her sister. "Great! I thought you'd find him handsome..." she said, teasing her sister gently.

Hinata returned to Sasuke with a smile on her face. "Let's go home"

The next day, Hanabi Hyuuga's engagement to Shun Arakawa of Mountain country was announced to the entire clan and was scheduled to be announced publicly to Konoha later in the week after Shun's parents were notified of the decision. The wedding was set for January of the next year and Hinata thought she'd never seen her sister so visibly excited.

* * *

Sasuke and Hinata had a discussion when they got back and decided that, since all three were so interested, they could start doing basic training (although it would always be disguised as a game.)

The first day, Hinata watched with Satomi (who had missed her parents very much and barely let her mother out of her sight) while Sasuke had the triplets chase him. She knew he was consciously moving incredibly slow but they had fun and were learning to make sharper turns.

They only played for about fifteen minutes before Sasuke turned on them and, scooping them up, declared the day's activities were over.

"Mommy, did you see us?" exclaimed Hiraku. "We caught daddy every time"

Her eyes sparkled as she watched her husband saunter up with Yua in the crook of one arm and Hizashi on the other. Their eyes met.

"Yes, I did"

The rest of the year passed with little significance. Sasuke was allowed back on missions in November and their Christmas party was a success. Ino and Tenten both conceived again and both hoped for girls.

"Yeah, she'll be a spring baby!" exclaimed Ino, patting her belly lovingly. It was late December and they'd already discovered the gender. "I'm due on May 7th!"

Tenten, who secretly hoped for a girl because little Ryuu was proving to be much more like his father than she ever imagined, was finding out in a few weeks as she wasn't due until July.

Then in mid-March, during one the most terrible blizzards Konoha remembered in the last half-century, Naruto stumbled back into town after a long mission. Several of his friends rushed to the hospital; he'd been almost a week overdue and feared dead.

But he wasn't alone. Sasuke and Hinata were astonished to see three small girls-probably about 2 or 3 years old-sitting on a hospital bed. They looked as if they were in shock and shied away from any contact, especially from Hinata. Their faces were terribly sunken-in and their frames were emaciated.

"They're orphans; I found them on the border between Rain country and Earth country. You know clan wars have been stirring there. When will people ever learn-"

"But Naruto! Who's going to-"

"I am" he said, a familiar resolute stare appearing in his eyes. Sasuke and Hinata both knew it was better not to question him at the present time.

The girls didn't speak a word and were huddled together, looking terribly frightened.

"What are their names?" Hinata asked, having asked the small girls themselves several times without response.

"I don't know if they have any. If not, I'll name them" he said.

Sasuke pulled Naruto out of the room.

"Naruto, you can't just-"

"And why not, Sasuke? Just because I don't have a wife like you doesn't mean-"

"That's not what I'm saying, you idiot" Sasuke hissed. "You'll be much too busy with Hokage preparations and mission loads and political ties to be a good-"

"I can handle it all. This boundless energy has to be used for something, right?" he said, his familiar grin falling into place.

Sasuke sighed. "You carried them all the way back here through this weather?" he asked. The blonde nodded. _To take on three kids so impulsively that didn't even share his blood..._

"Okay. But just remember that you have no idea what they've been through. I'd have Hokage-sama look them over pretty thoroughly" Sasuke said, turning to rejoin Hinata in the other room. She still had no success in getting the three girls to talk.

And for days, no one did. They wouldn't even talk to the man whose back they had been on for nearly a week. They just whimpered a lot and shivered. They bit and clawed if Tsunade tried to touch them or examine them.

Finally, Hinata got an idea. One day, she brought the triplets with her and set them down in the room with Naruto's girls. He'd already started the adoption process and even Tsunade hadn't been able to talk him out of it.

Then she left, going to watch what happened on the video feed with the Hokage, her husband and Naruto. She'd explained to the triplets that the three girls might have been badly hurt by someone and they might not be friendly at first.

She was correct. The girls were very wary, staying in the corner of the room and tightly clasping hands. They were also still wearing their smelly rags, as they refused to let anyone change them.

But one of the girls-the one with blonde hair nearly Naruto's color- got curious after about ten minutes. The triplets had already tried to approach together but then Yua instinctively stepped forward to approach the other girls. The blonde girl (or, her hair was supposedly blonde underneath the grub) with bright, sea green eyes slowly let go of the others' hands and went forward to meet the strange dark-haired girl.

They reached out for each other and their hands slowly touched, palm to palm.

"My name's Yua" the little Uchiha said enthusiastically but still in her quiet voice. Her nose wrinkled a little bit as the stench of the other girl's rotten clothing hit her. The girl tried to make sounds but her throat sounding hoarse.

"That's okay. You don't need a name to play" she said and started to pull the other girl toward her brothers. The blonde squealed.

"What's wrong?" said Yua, mouth turning into a frown. "These my brothers. They're not scary" she said.

The other two watched from the corner with wary eyes as their blonde friend met the other two. Then observed as they started to play together with some blocks in the room.

"What do you think happened to them?" whispered Hinata, her eyes watching the sad but maybe hopeful scene.

Tsunade didn't look away from the screen, the monitor reflected in her gaze.

"They've probably been on the streets quite some time from the state of their clothing and hair. I'd have to have a closer look but probably at least six months..." she said, stopping as another girl from the corner-the one with red hair-slowly approached the others. Nearly an hour passed and still the raven-haired girl who looked the oldest and somehow seemed like the leader, never approached the group.

"Okay, one of us should go in. Who should it be?" asked Naruto. Tsunade thought for a moment.

"They seem to be more afraid of women, since they fought me so hard and shied away from Hinata. Let's try Sasuke"

"Hey, I'm not in this-" he started to say. Naruto started to say something but Hinata beat him to it.

"Sasuke-kun, don't you remember what it was like when you were alone after your clan was massacred?"

His eyes flashed and his head jerked away. "I don't need to be reminded-"

"Well, these girls feel a lot like that right now probably. In fact, they could even have that same story. Please don't leave them defenseless, Sasuke-kun..."

Tsunade and Naruto wisely backed away as the couple held eye contact.

Though displeased, Hinata won out eventually and Sasuke made his way to the room, grumbling a little on the way.

* * *

As soon as the door opened, the two orphan girls scrambled away and faced the oncoming threat with their backs against the wall, ready to fight.

"Daddy!" Yua exclaimed, running up to him. He caught her in his arms.

"NO!" a surprisingly loud yell came from the dark haired girl in the corner. She rushed forward, pulling Yua away.

"They hurt you!" she explained, pulling Yua back to the corner with her. _So she is articulate_ thought Tsunade who was still watching.

Yua shook her head. "He's daddy"

"Da..dy?" inquired the other girl.

"Yes. Watch!" said Yua, now dragging the other girl toward Sasuke. She fought viciously and Sasuke was proud of Yua for not giving up even when the other girl drew blood. Protectiveness was curling in his veins but he couldn't harm the other girl...plus he'd acted much the same way (and even worse) when friends had tried to drag him toward things that were good for him.

"Friend" Yua said as she finally succeeded in bringing the other girl close.

Sasuke scooped them both up and the other girl screamed in terror for several seconds, even clawing at him. Sasuke nearly gagged. _She smells terrible...like charred wood, sewage and rotting meat..._

Slowly, she realized nothing was happening to her. Or to her new friend. He sat them both back down and Yua cutely danced around the new girl.

"See? It's fun!"

Naruto entered a little bit later and, somewhat remembering him, the girls shied away less and the blonde one even let him hold her for a little while.

All trust was lost when Hinata came in, though. All three screamed and went back to their corner. None of the triplets could draw them out, no matter what she told them.

"Mommy's nice too" she would explain. But to no avail.

 _This is gonna be long, hard work._

* * *

The orphans improved over the next two weeks and played with the triplets nearly every day. Then they were introduced to Satomi who, though normally pretty stoic, made one of the girls laugh for the first time in the hearing of the adults.

They bonded fairly well with Naruto and, at the end of the second week, the raven-haired one bravely let Naruto bathe her. Though she was the most wary of adults, she wanted to go first in case anything happened so the other two could get away.

She watched Yua jump into the bathtub first and splash around before timidly allowing Naruto to set her in it.

He let Yua play around with her for a while, showing her how to play with the bubbles and the Uchiha girl even started cleaning the other girl's hair (the best a 3 and a half year old could).

After everything was done, Amaya (which Naruto planned to name her because of the kind of night he found them on) looked shiny new. She seemed a little bit surprised after she was settled in a warm purple robe (Hinata had helped Naruto pick out girl things earlier in the week). Still nothing had happened to her or the others.

After seeing her, the other girls couldn't wait to jump in. All three splashed around together and, although Yua was very wrinkly by the time she got out after helping Naruto, she seemed pleased.

He planned to name the red-haired one Kushina, after his mother and the blonde one "Manami" because he'd always liked that name. His friends helped him do innovations to his home, setting up toddler beds and toddler-proofing the house.

"They're going to be a lot of work" warned Sasuke one last time. Naruto smiled. "They're worth it"

* * *

The girls went home at the end of the first week of April, after finally having trusted Naruto and his protection enough to let Tsunade physically look them over.

"They're still somewhat emaciated. Here's a planned diet for the next month...and come to think of it, it wouldn't be too bad for you to follow this either..."she said, teasing him lightly about his lack of vegetables.

"And they are all lice free, surprisingly. Amaya seems to be a few months older than Manami and Kushina but the other two are hard to tell apart in age. I would guess that Amaya is almost 4 and the other two are around 2.5 to 3. I am most worried about their psychological states. None of them sleep very well and they often wake up scared or screaming. Plus Manami has yet to actually speak and Kushina's development seems to be behind her peers in several areas...

She took a deep breath.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked a final time. They could go in the orphanage or to experienced foster parents or...

He nodded. It was the same nod she'd seen a thousand times. She sighed. "Okay"

* * *

Amaya, Manami and Kushina made their first public appearance as the future Hokage's daughters at Satomi's second birthday party. Hinata had kept this party smaller so the other girls wouldn't be overwhelmed. They seemed to relax a little (although their small dresses were a little askew and not tied properly) when little Satomi was delighted to see them.

But soon they begged to go back to Naruto's smaller apartment, claiming the "big house" scared them.

"It's probably because they don't feel like they can see a threat coming" surmised Sasuke. Naruto sighed. "Yes, we'll have to try the sleepover another night" he said as he bid them farewell.

The triplets went to bed easily as usual, with only a few questions about Naruto's three girls. Satomi was exhausted from being the center of attention at her birthday party and she quieted pretty easily.

Hinata and Sasuke's eyes met as soon as the master bedroom door was shut. Satomi was two now...

Sasuke drew right up to her, grabbing her hips with his palms and leaned to whisper: "Would you like to make another baby with me?"

She looked away briefly and he wondered. _is she not ready? They hadn't really discussed it..._

But she lifted her gaze again.

"There...there's nothing else I would rather do but...we might have to try for a while..." she said, eyebrows raising even as a faint blush dusted her cheeks.

"I wouldn't have it any other way" he stated as he walked her toward the bed, falling on it with her beneath him.

* * *

Many miles away, a man received a letter that made him happy. Very happy.

The engagement was going well and the wedding was less than a year away now since the Hyuuga heiress had convinced the council to commute the courtship period to six months plus the year-long official engagement period. This placed the wedding just after the first of the year. The plan, though tedious and slow in the making, was finally coming together.

No one could suspect a thing. There couldn't be a whisper anywhere, not even a wisp of a suspicion. Or it would be **_his_** blood and not the Uchiha clan's that was spilled.

* * *

Yes, it is taking some time. I'm telling a story of their lives too.

Telling me to "go die" as a guest user is an extremely passive-aggressive thing to do. Don't read this story if you don't like it, simple as that.

This will likely be the last update for a little while.

As always, reviews are appreciated.

 _ **Amaya = "night rain"**_

 _ **Manami = " 愛 (mana) meaning "affection" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful"**_

 _ **Kushina = in honor of Naruto's mother**_

-Pi-chan :)


	25. Chapter 25

"Mommy, why you feel blue and daddy feel purple?"

Yua was sitting on the counter, watching her mom wash dishes while her brothers and father were play-wrestling in the living room.

Hinata asked a few questions, trying to understand what her eldest daughter meant.

"I know if it's you or daddy who opens our door at night because you're blue and he's purple" she stated, swinging her legs. At almost four, she didn't quite have the vocabulary to explain what she meant.

"And sometimes Hishi feels green and Hiku feels yellow" she continued referring to her eldest and youngest brothers respectively. Hinata slowly understood.

"That's called "chakra" Yua-chan" she replied, surprised her daughter could already distinguish to that degree. "What else do you feel?"

Yua inclined her head for a moment. "You and Hishi are cool; daddy and Hiku feel warmer but daddy is warm like a fire and Hiku is warm like bath time"

"You're a very observant girl, Yua" she said, making a mental note to mention their daughter's affinity to Sasuke later.

* * *

It was only early May when Naruto appeared at the Uchihas' door, scratching his head.

"Look, this is awkward but Manami-chan finally opened up to me last night" he said, gently placing his hand on the small blonde's head. "And she has a younger brother who is still a baby back near where I found them and-"

Sasuke pulled Naruto away from the girls, leaving them huddling together in the doorway.

"You aren't _seriously_ going to get him; you don't even know if she's right! She could be-" Sasuke whispered gruffly before being silenced by Naruto's stare.

"If he's going through what they've gone through I'm not going to leave him in it. It could be worse for him"

"Naruto, you're a father now! You can't just run off and leave them here without supervision! They're your responsibility-"

"That's why I'm asking you to keep them, just until I-"

"Naruto, Hinata and I already have four kids under five years old in this house. We have the room but neither the sanity nor the energy. What if both of us are sent on a mission? Where are we going to leave seven kids, especially ones that barely trust the man that's adopted them?"

The argument went on for a few more minutes. Hinata came to the door, wondering what all the fuss was about. The kids were down for their nap and the three girls instinctively withdrew from her.

"Sasuke, we can do it for a little while" Hinata said quietly, making both men halt.

"Hinata, we have enough going on as it is. I-" he started, pointedly meeting her eyes. They'd been playing a flirty game of hide-and-seek when Naruto had rung the doorbell.

"Sasuke, we can do it for a little while" she repeated, bending down to the girls' level. "As long as it's okay with you girls" she said, meeting their eyes steadily with a genuine smile spread across her face.

There was silence for nearly two minutes. Finally, the blonde girl nodded, pulling the other two with her.

Naruto grinned, hoping they'd get somewhere while he was gone.

He bent down to the girls, drawing them close. "Remember what I told you about Mrs. Uchiha. She is a good friend of mine and is the kindest woman I know. I'm sorry you've been hurt but she's not the same woman. I love you girls and I'll be back with your brother, Manami. Believe it!" he said, releasing them. Timidly, they stepped inside the mansion.

Naruto nodded to the Uchihas and bolted away.

Sasuke held Hinata's gaze briefly before turning to go back inside, sighing deeply as the door shut behind them and their newly acquired guests.

"Are you girls tired?" Hinata asked. They nodded.

"Would you like to sleep with Yua or would you like your own room?" she asked, smiling. She suddenly noticed that they had small bags and she was proud of Naruto for packing at least their favorite things and bedding.

* * *

Two days later, news came of Ino going into labor with her second child. Watching the Uchihas come to town with seven children in tow was quite a sight. Sasuke had Amaya and Kushina in his arms while Yua rode on his shoulders while Hinata carried Satomi and Manami in her arms (the little blonde had been the most welcoming of Hinata's company) while Hiraku rode on her shoulders. Being the oldest, Hizashi proudly strode between his mother and father.

"Do we really want this many?" questioned Sasuke as he collapsed in the waiting room chair, the three girls tumbling off of their transport and onto the floor to play. He didn't really care all that much about another Yamanaka brat but the other men had supported Hinata and himself during labor so he felt he should do the same, although he couldn't fathom why.

She giggled. "I actually don't mind it all that much" she replied, winking. Though they'd been trying since Satomi's second birthday, her period last week had confirmed she wasn't pregnant again yet. And with three new additions, they'd barely had alone time in two days. The first night the three girls had had night terrors and all of them had wet the bed which added up to two extra loads of laundry for Hinata.

But it broke her heart. She couldn't imagine what the three girls had gone through. When she'd set their breakfast out both days, they flinched as if they expected her to either scream at them or throw it in their faces.

"Ah! Here you are! Oh-" Temari's face looked surprised when the Uchihas' had three non-dark haired girls in tow.

"Yes, Naruto's gone for a little while and the girls don't like to be separated..." explained Hinata, gently setting Manami on the ground to play.

"Shikamaru's gone on a mission" Temari said, explaining his absence. She sat Shinobu by the other children too.

"Any word?" asked Lee, who was walking into the room with his son in tow.

"Tenten-chan is heading over after she finishes up her appointment with the Hokage" he explained, closing an eye as his active son nearly gouged it out while climbing up his head. Perhaps he should've asked Gai-sensei to babysit...

"Is everything going well?" Hinata asked calmly, trying not to give away her concern.

"Yes, the baby is right on schedule. We also know the gender, though Tenten would kill me if I revealed it before she gets here" he said, smiling. She was due in two months but he'd been gone and hadn't seen these friends in months.

"Oh, and the last I knew Ino-chan was at six centimeters" said Hinata, remembering Lee's question.

Tenten arrived a few minutes later, waddling into the waiting room. She patted her stomach. "I'm glad this is my last kid" she grinned.

"And it's a girl!" she exclaimed, earning congratulations from Hinata and Temari.

The kids were fairly calm for the most part. Ino's labor went well and on May 6th at 1:22pm, Hanae Yamanaka was born with bright blonde hair and blue eyes, a spitting image of her mother.

After greeting the new baby, the adults were surprised to hear Manami talk aloud in front of a group of people for the first time.

"Baby...brother?" were the only two words she spoke as she gazed at the newborn.

"She means baby looks like her brother" said Amaya, also speaking a rare sentence. "Her brother has yellow hair too" she said, proud to use the word "yellow" she had learned from Yua yesterday. Though she was older than Yua by a few months, the adults had noticed her vocabulary level was not where it should be but she seemed to be intelligent and was gaining new words quickly into her arsenal.

"Naruto has gone to get your baby brother, remember Manami-chan?" said Hinata, lifting the young girl up again.

"He'll be back" she said smiling. The younger girl nodded, clinging to Hinata as they left the hospital.

* * *

As the weeks wore on, Sasuke could tell that having seven kids-especially ones so young-in the house was wearing on Hinata. The girls had constant night terrors and, though they slept in their own room, still woke most of the household.

The triplets couldn't quite understand what was the matter. The three had always been sound sleepers.

"Mommy, why do they scream so loud?" Hizashi finally asked. His father had come to check on them while their mother rocked Kushina back to sleep. It was almost always Manami or Kushina that woke up screaming. Amaya almost never did, though Hinata had found her with tear stains on her cheeks during her bi-nightly checks.

Sasuke sighed, scrambling for words. "Sometimes when a person gets hurt...that hurt goes deep down inside. And even when that person isn't being hurt anymore sometimes there's still hurt inside and it scares them a lot of the time"

Hizashi considered this for a minute. "What makes hurt stop?"

His eldest could have no idea the effect his questions had on his father. It slammed into him like a freight train.

Finally he replied: "Time. Patience. And love" he replied, ruffling Hizashi's hair across his forehead before striding out the door.

* * *

Even in the middle of June, Sasuke bolted awake in a cold sweat.

Hinata, immediately awake by his side, asked what was wrong.

The Uchiha didn't want to admit it but having these former orphans with them was stirring up some unpleasant memories. He hadn't had a nightmare like the one he'd just had in a very long time.

"Nothing"

"Sasuke-kun..."

"I SAID NOTHING" he yelled, throwing the covers off and striding out to the balcony to cool off (though it didn't help, as it was still nearly 85 outside).

Half an hour later, near four in the morning, Hinata joined him outside. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her lips pressing lightly on his mid back.

"Sweetheart" she said, exhaling against his skin.

"It's okay if you're still hurting from the past"

He tried to jerk away but she held him tightly.

"And I'm not going to force you to talk about it. And I'm not going to tell you to get over it. I just want you to know that I see your pain, that I validate it as legitimate and that I love you and want to help you work through it in whatever way I can" she said, nuzzling his back slightly before turning and striding back into the bedroom.

Sasuke's anger burned for several more minutes until his heart rate calmed and he exhaled deeply before going back into the bedroom and closing the door.

* * *

Hinata held a sleeping Sasuke as the sun rose. He had collapsed against her and sobbed himself into exhaustion. Somehow, she knew, that in the early morning hours she had held the five year old Sasuke no one else had been there to hold. She eyed the clock, noting that it was almost eight.

She was surprised that the children were still asleep, normally waking by seven. The last night terror had been around eleven the previous night so at least she'd gotten four hours of sleep.

Sasuke was incredibly embarrassed when he woke up almost an hour later, still in his wife's arms. He felt lighter than he had in ages but his masculinity was still embarrassed.

Her lips curled into a smile as she realized Sasuke was awake. She gently brushed the hair out of his face and they shared a gentle kiss.

"It's almost nine. Good morning sleepy head" she quipped cheerfully, releasing him so that she could stretch and go check on the children.

Sasuke fell back on the bed, reeling for a moment before heading to the bathroom. _She didn't laugh..._

Hinata was surprised to find that all the children were still asleep. _Looks like the last three nights have worn everyone out._ Even Satomi, usually awake by seven at the latest,was still deep in slumber.

Hinata tiptoed back to the master bedroom, ready to pounce on her husband. She was slightly exhausted but who knew when another chance like this would come?

So she was genuinely disappointed when she realized he was in the bathroom. She was going to inquire what he was doing but another thought flashed across her mind instead.

Silently activating her eyes, she saw he was preparing to enter the shower. _Good._

She all but sprinted to the bathroom door, her eyes meeting her husband's whose eyebrows raised in a questioning manner.

"They're all still asleep" she said, taking another step toward him and letting the sentence hang in the air. For one of the first times, he observed her eyes unabashedly taking in his already naked form.

She didn't need to say another word; they met in the middle with a passionate kiss and ended on the cool tiled floor, joined by more than their lips.

* * *

As June wound down, Sasuke arranged for Kiba and Shino to come over to the mansion and help him with the children to give his wife a day to herself.

She knocked on Temari's door, who let her in immediately.

"Hinata! How on earth did you manage to get away? Is Naruto back?" she exclaimed.

"No, Sasuke-kun gave me the day to myself. Kiba and Shino are helping him, of course"

"That's so thoughtful!" she said, quirking an eyebrow at Shikamaru as he strode into the entryway to greet Hinata.

"Oi, oi now! You've only got one child to trouble with. She's currently got seven; she deserves a break!" he replied, easily earning her displeasure.

"Anyway, Temari-chan. I was wondering if you wanted to go out on the town with me?"

"Sure! Lazy here hasn't had bonding time with his son in at least a week. Bye Shikamaru-kun!" she said, winking as she herded Hinata out the door.

They spent most of the morning shopping. At noon, Hinata stopped into see the Hokage. Although she told Temari it was just to set up check-ups for the children, she secretly wanted to know why she wasn't pregnant again yet. The first two times had happened so easily that she was worried something was wrong.

"Hinata, sometimes these things just take time. The first two times you were incredibly fortunate. You're still young"

At the girl's insistence, she gave her a quick check up. "Hinata, you're completely fine. But you are watching Naruto's kids too, right?"

She nodded, wondering what that could have to do with it.

"Stress can affect these things too. Have your periods been normal?"

"For the most part, though I was a few days early and heavier this last time..."

"See? It's probably just stress. Have you been relaxing when you and Sasuke have sex? Or are you worried about everything else, even in the back of your mind?"

The old Hinata would have balked at such a question.

"W-Well, mainly him. It's...hard not to focus on just him when he-but instead of being together afterward, one of us usually has to get up immediately and go check on the kids..."

"See? I'm sure once your household goes back to normal everything will be fine. Now go enjoy the day!" she said, shooing the younger girl out of her office.

 _I never thought it would have worked so well._

* * *

They stopped by to see Ino and her month-old baby girl. Akihiko was not taking kindly to being a big brother (and no longer the center of attention).

"She's beautiful, Ino-chan! And looks just like you!" said Hinata, cooing at the baby.

Ino was basking in the attention that she'd been showered with it since the birth. The baby's beauty had caused quite a stir in Konoha.

As their day wound down, they ate at Team 7's old favorite BBQ place. There, they ran into Chouji and Karui with their young daughter, Chouko.

The chubby, magenta-haired baby gurgled happily at the new arrivals. Hinata hadn't been around the Akimichi clan much, though she heard much of their goings on from Temari.

"It's good to see you, Hinata!" said Chouji cheerfully.

"You too, Chouji. How are you?"

"Good, good! How are things at the Uchiha mansion?"

"A little chaotic but that's normal anymore" she said, giggling.

In the middle of dinner, Lee nearly sprang through the window to announce that Tenten was in early labor with their daughter.

"How early, Lee?" everyone asked, wondering if they should head to the hospital or could help in any way.

"Very early" Tenten's slightly-annoyed voice answered a moment later.

"This baby won't be here until at least tomorrow at the earliest, if not three days. Lee, chill out!" she said, brandishing her diaper bag as a threatening weapon.

The audience giggled. "We're just heading to the hospital early to be sure everything is okay" she continued, pushing her husband forward. "Later, guys"

Temari and Hinata visited her in her hospital room after dinner.

"Yeah, I'm only about 2 centimeters dilated. So it'll be several hours at least. I was hoping this one would go quicker as second babies always seem to but it doesn't look like it. At least the contractions aren't really painful yet" she said, getting up to walk around.

They left her in good spirits, Hinata deciding it was time to head back to the mansion.

Temari accompanied her, both nearly dying of laughter as they opened the front door. Mayhem was everywhere.

Apparently, it was Kiba's idea to get out the finger-paint at some point early in the afternoon. But having seven children under 5 and several puppies around about a dozen colors of finger-paint hadn't ended well, as both mothers could've foreseen.

Akamaru had tiny blue and green handprints all over his coat. Shino's jacket, which had been discarded, was covered in red pawprints and one conspicuous yellow handprint (that was much too large to be a toddler's). Sasuke's hands were suspiciously covered in yellow paint, Kiba's in purple, and Shino's in white.

Both of sides of Sasuke's face had little pink hand prints on them and he was being chased by two puppies and three toddlers, whom Hinata barely recognized as her eldest three under all the paint and craft paper plastered to their skin. Manami and Kushina were riding on Akamaru and each seemed to have decorated one another in war paint.

"Go doggy, go!" they were shouting as Akamaru playfully chased his owner, and two of his puppies followed while trailing through the paint again.

The three most stoic ones, Shino, Amaya, and Satomi seemed to be unmoved. Upon closer inspection, though, Shino's hair was covered in black paint and his glasses were smudged with purple and pink. Amaya's normally dark hair had hints of forest green and Satomi, though the youngest, looked the cleanest and was taking in the scene with a sort of awe and fortitude.

Temari looked at Hinata. Hinata looked at Temari. And they joined the fray, picking up the unused orange. Temari grabbed Satomi and Hinata tripped her husband, sending the couple and their triplets to the floor in laughter.

Their arrival signaled the end, though it was almost half an hour later before the house was quiet.

Sasuke and Hinata lay side-by-side, their triplets and the three former-orphans in an indistinguishable, tie-dyed pile on top of them. Satomi was covered in orange and slowly falling asleep in Temari's arms. Kiba and Shino were currently washing the puppies (who had already escaped twice) in the downstairs bathroom.

"You'd better know a water-jutsu to clean all this up" Hinata muttered playfully to her husband. He grinned slightly.

"Yeah, water's my specialty" he replied, hopping up. "Okay, boys. Let's go shower!" he said, picking up his two sons under each arm and heading to an upstairs bathroom.

"Okay, girls. Let's go to the other bathroom" she said, glad Sasuke had insisted on installing a fourth upstairs bathroom all those years ago.

Hinata settled into the large tub. Yua joined her easily (Temari was washing Satomi in the kitchen sink).

"Come on girls" she encouraged, gently splashing the water. They were very reluctant. Yua called to them too.

The three looked at one another, deciding. Hinata somehow knew this was a big moment for their relationship.

"You hurt us?" questioned Amaya finally. Yua shook her head immediately. It was hard for her to understand and it made her mad that they didn't like her mommy.

Hinata shook her head. "I promise not to hurt you" _Wonder how many times they've heard that before..._

Timidly, the three approached the tub. After they settled, Hinata shifted and they jumped.

"Sorry. Manami-chan, may I wash your hair?" she asked gently. The young girl nodded and Hinata took some shampoo in her palm and slowly started untangling and rinsing out the blonde's hair.

After she was done, she asked if she could lean back. Hinata knew she had made a mistake when the other girls, who had been splashing around with Yua, tensed.

"Don't make us go blue" exclaimed Amaya in a very angry voice, using her newly learned color vocabulary as a weapon. Hinata was taken aback.

"I promise I won't push her under the water. If I do, you don't have to do anything I say ever again, okay?" she asked. Manami, still looking at the other two, slowly leaned back.

She, along with the other two, seemed genuinely surprised when this "mommy" person caught her and held her above the surface.

"Okay, all clean. Who's next?" she asked, letting Manami run to the other end of the tub and show the other girls how clean and soft her hair was.

"Me!" called the red-head. Amaya still seemed wary but eventually allowed Hinata to wash her hair too, although she didn't lean back.

Hinata rose first from the tub after blowing bubbles with the girls. She stepped onto the mat and stretched.

The girls had stopped to watch her.

"What...what is those?" Amaya's small voice asked.

"What are what, Amaya-chan?" asked Hinata, striding back toward the tub. For the first time, the young girl didn't cower or recoil away from her.

A small hand pressed against her hip.

"Oh, that's a scar Amaya-chan"

"Sc-scar?" she repeated, turning around. _That's why she won't turn her back to anyone and always presses it against a wall..._

Hinata's face hid the potent mixture of anger and disgust at what people did to children. Amaya's back was covered in scars, mainly from either a whip or perhaps something worse. There were a few flame-scares too, as if someone had struck her with the poker of a fire.

Hinata bent down to the young girl. "Everyone has scars, Amaya-chan. I do. Their daddy does. Hokage-sama does. And some scars are inside, where you can't see them but they still hurt. But don't be afraid to let us see them because then we can help you get better. You have to let others see an "ow-ie" so they know where and how to help" she said, pecking the girl on the forehead before drying herself off and offering a towel to each girl.

* * *

The exhausted but clean kids were finally down and Hinata was left with the mess in the living room. She was bent over the original painting mat in the middle of the floor when she felt Sasuke's presence behind her. She turned to tease him, only to find herself in his arms.

"Sasuke-kun, mmmm-" she was cut off. He moved to place her beneath him.

"S-Sasuke! I just bathed and-"

"Showering three times in one day won't hurt" he replied, his tone indicating that he wasn't in a negotiating mood.

At the end, Hinata couldn't believe she was laying in the middle of a mansion's living room floor, naked and covered in paint and in an equally naked Uchiha Sasuke's arms. A few years ago this would have all seemed so strange.

The moonlight outside shown down into the room, showing his eyes to still be alert although they hadn't spoken words in quite some time.

She shifted as if to get up. He protested, pulling her back onto his chest. She gave in, settling once more.

"You know, Yua-chan can already sense differences in chakra" she said suddenly. Sasuke took a few seconds to respond.

"How do you know?"

As she explained Yua's observations from the other day, Sasuke's lips pursed.

"That is interesting, especially since she can distinguish even Hiashi and Hiraku's. Perhaps we should speak with Hokage-sama on what this could mean"

Hinata agreed. "Now, will you help me clean this mess up?"

He smiled, shifting to his feet before lifting her up. They cleaned and scrubbed for about an hour. Hinata was pleased that the men had had at least enough foresight to cover the furniture in old sheets before the finger-painting mess had begun.

They finally finished around eleven.

Hinata wiped her brow and stood back up as she succeeded in removing the last speck of paint, a pink drop, from the mansion's hardwood flooring.

"Now I only have one other mess to clean up" he said. She wondered what he meant until his eyes intentionally wound their way around her curves.

 _They hadn't managed twice in one day since-_

He picked her up bridal style. Though he could've been at their room in a flash, he deliberately made slow, silent steps. Their eyes didn't leave each other's the entire way, until he settled her into their master bathroom's tub. He made sure the water was warm and then tenderly began washing her. She could feels his each individual fingertip through the wash cloth as it glided over her face. Then her neck and arms and shoulders.

"You certainly do have paint e _verywhere_ " he whispered. "How irresponsible of you" he teased, nibbling on her ear. She shivered.

"And who left this all this yellow down here?" he asked, chuckling at her blush. Her thighs were covered in splotches of yellow. He pulled her to her knees in the tub, noting the specs of sky blue adorning one nipple.

She whimpered as he caressed it with the wash cloth. Even though they'd been joined just a few hours ago she needed him again...

He took his time, though she noticed the excitement was mutual. As his bare hand cupped her between the legs she leaned forward to grasp his shoulder.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" she keened, her fingertips digging into his skin.

"Yes?" he asked so innocently that she had a strong urge to yank him in with her. He stimulated her for nearly a minute before withdrawing his hand, shifting to look over the edge of the tub and observe her nethers.

"All clean" he said deviously, noticing she was no longer wet from the bath alone. Hinata was panting as she met his gaze again and he leaned in to invade her mouth with his tongue.

That was all she needed. She out maneuvered him (though he never did quite figure out how) and managed to wrangle the wash cloth from him.

"Your turn" she said, pleased he was half in the tub already. He tried to pull away, teasingly insisting he'd rather stay dirty.

"That won't be a problem, Sasuke-kun" she purred, her tongue trailing down his neck as she stroked a line of the V in his legs with the wash cloth.

They ended up on the bathroom rug again, Hinata taking her time scrubbing every little speck of paint off of his skin. Her sudden shift of weight followed by her mouth encasing his member ellicited a very surprised moan from Sasuke, who couldn't handle more than a minute.

"H-Hinata, I need you to-" he panted, an aroused shade coming over his face. Still wet from his earlier ministrations, she slid down on him easily and he gripped her cheeks, intent on making her stay.

She ended up having to steady herself with her palms against the tile on either side of the rug, which left her breasts free to dangle above her husband's head. He gladly took this opportunity to tease her left nipple.

"Sasuke-kun, it-it's TOO much!" she exclaimed. He ignored her feigned protest, adjusting the angle of his thrust slightly.

He watched her eyes roll back as the pleasure exploded inside her, her flushed cheeks framed by raven-hair and steam from the bath. _Another one for long missions._

As soon as he was able, he carried her to bed and they fell asleep together. Both were woken up three hours later by a rare night terror from Amaya, whom Hinata had to hush and lullaby and rock for over an hour to calm down.

Across town, Lee was watching enthusiastically as Tenten delivered their baby's head after two hours of pushing.

Harumi Lee entered the world at 3:33a.m. on June 30th, eight days early and with a head full of her mother's brown hair.

* * *

 _Period again. Dammit._

Hinata cursed quietly. The day when they'd managed three times had gotten her hopes up...

She sighed, putting her pad in place and exiting the master bathroom. Sasuke had been on a mission for two weeks with Shikamaru and Sai so Temari had been staying over to help with the kids.

"I don't think I'm ever going to be pregnant again" sighed Hinata to her friend, who was trying to persuade a cranky Satomi to eat her carrots.

"Everything'll be okay Hinata. You may not feel it but I can see that you're stressed out" she said before turning her voice to a whisper.

"If it makes you feel better, Shikamaru and I have been trying for almost the same amount of time and aren't having any luck either" she confided.

Hinata hugged her friend. "I'm just being silly. I know we both will!" she said grinning.

Sasuke and Shikamaru both returned to the mansion later that day and were excited to see their wives and children, though they tried to hide it.

The Naras ended up staying for dinner and were just leaving when a familiar blonde head appeared on the gentle slope down down to the Uchihas' front door.

"OI!" he shouted, giving a wave. The group waited and Hinata called for the three girls to come to the front door.

Naruto approached and the others realized he carried a small bundle. When he finally stood before them, they realized the bundle had bright blond hair and blue-green eyes.

"You...you found him..." said Sasuke in disbelief. Now that he'd been living with Manami, he could easily see a remarkable family resemblance.

"Yes, with a very neglectful family. It took me almost a month to find him but hardly any time to persuade them to let me take him. They called him worthless and trash and-"

Naruto's hands gripped the baby protectively as a flash of fang appeared in his mouth. "I'm just glad he's mine. I've already been to see Hokage-sama"

The adults could tell the baby was much thinner than he ought to be but he was alert, maybe a year old at most.

"Did they say anything about the girls or wonder where they had gone?" asked Hinata, gently stroking the baby's face.

He shook his head. "They said he was an only child that their "whore" daughter had left on their doorstep..." his voice faded as the three girls timidly peeked from behind Sasuke's legs.

Manami ran forward first, looking at the baby. "Brother!" she recognized, gently hugging the child. "Thank you, daddy!" she said immediately, looking up at Naruto.

Even Shikamaru got a little choked up, although all he would mutter on the way home was how "troublesome" a fourth kid would be for Naruto. Shinobu was quickly slipping into sleep as Temari whispered: "How about a second one for us?"

The Nara man's hand slid around her waist, drawing her closer as the sun set behind them.

* * *

"What will you name him?" Sasuke asked as the Uzumakis were leaving. Hinata had help them gather their belongings and as the last light set in the sky, they would head back home to Naruto's apartment.

Naruto smiled. "Mamoru" he replied, taking the boy from Hinata, who had been holding him quite some time, and turning to head home with his three daughters in tow.

"It's perfect" she replied, smiling as Sasuke's hand reached around her waist and they turned to go inside, glad for the time they had gotten to spend with the girls and the progress they'd made but also glad to have a somewhat quiet house once more.

* * *

Yeah. Chapter. Not sure how I feel about it but I hope it was at least enjoyable. Promise to update more speedily soon. It's been a crazy month.

 ** _Hanae-From 花 (hana) or 華 (hana), which both mean "flower", combined with 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit"_**

 ** _Chouko- From Japanese 蝶 (chou) meaning "butterfly" and 子 (ko) meaning "child"_**

 ** _Harumi-_ _春美 "Spring beauty"_**

 ** _Mamoru- "protector, to protect"_**

A lot happened in this chapter so to recap: Hinata and Sasuke are aiming for 7 kids, have 4, and have currently been trying for their 5th one for about 3 months with no success.

Ino and Sai welcomed a baby girl this chapter, 2 years and 3 months after their son Akihiko.

Tenten and Lee also welcomed a daughter this chapter, 2 years and 5 months after their son Ryuu.

Shikamaru and Temari have a son, Shinobu, and are also trying to conceive their next child.

Naruto found 3 girls orphaned on a stormy winter night this previous March who seem to have been badly abused and neglected. He adopted and named them. Two months later, he found out the blonde girl, whom he named Manami, had a baby brother and set out in search of him, leaving his daughters with the Uchihas. This has caused Sasuke to face some inner turmoil and buried hurt. Now Naruto returns with this baby brother whose family didn't seem to care about him all that much.

Our mystery villain has also remained quiet during this chapter. However, I find that evil is often most invisible when it is most unnoticed ;)

Tldr: Babies, steamy-ness, finger-paint, puppies, yay bath-time!

Happy Holidays to all! Hope you enjoyed it! Will try to update again before Christmas!

-Pi-chan! :)


	26. Chapter 26

The entire main branch of the Hyuuga family stood just outside the compound's front gate in the late August sunshine.

Hinata and Sasuke stood stoically beside Hanabi while Hiashi stood to her right. Today, Shun's parents were coming to officially meet Hanabi, go over arrangements for a newly formed political tie (meaning they would stay as guests in the compound for at least three weeks), as well as survey Konoha. Hiashi, Hanabi, and a few selected elders would make a similar trip in November to Shun's home in Mountain country.

"I still can't believe you talked the clan council and father into having the wedding so early" Hinata whispered to her sister as the splendidly purple palanquin pulled up just outside their gate.

"I still can't believe you married Sasuke Uchiha in six weeks" the younger girl replied. Hanabi barely bit back a smirk as she greeted her future in-laws, pleased with the wedding date and with her sister's slight blush. Normally the courting and the engagement period totaled 2 years. But their wedding had been set for this coming January 3rd, making the total time about 8 months.

Mrs. Arakawa was a strikingly plain woman, Hinata decided. Her hair was a dull brown and her eyes an unassuming shade of blue. Her ninja instincts said that the numerous jewels adorning her hands and headdress were sore attempts to cover her plainness. It was clear that Shun had received his good looks and height almost entirely from his father. Mr. Arakawa was the definition of tall, dark and handsome. Even in his mid-fifties, his bronzed skin and dark eyes could still easily be fan-girled over. Though Shun had a lighter skin-tone, it was obvious that his tall stature, deep brown eyes and nearly-black brunette hair came from his father. He dismounted from his horse and walked over to the greeting party.

Sasuke and Mr. Arakawa greeted one another warmly after the couple's formal introduction to Hanabi. Hinata recognized him as a guest at their first Christmas party, as well as one of the men who had retired with her husband for sake and cards afterwards.

"Uchiha-san" he said, a genuine smile showing on his face as they shook hands. "It's good to see you again and even better to know that we'll be family come the New Year"

Sasuke politely replied and they chatted briefly before adjourning inside, Mrs. Arakawa claiming she could no longer stand the heat.

Mr. Arakawa hung back slightly to pull Sasuke aside. "I'd like to thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't think we'd be here in talks to ally ourselves with the Hyuuga clan in such a lasting way" he said.

Sasuke appreciated the man's gesture. "I simply supplied the name. Your son, after all, does fit their criteria. And he's more level-headed than most his age" he replied, realizing that Shun was maybe a year his junior. Or they might be the same age. Sasuke had never sounded so old to himself before and he shared this with Hinata much later in the day, after the others had already adjourned to their first negotiation meeting.

She smiled at his amusement. He did seem so much older sometimes. He'd just turned 23 the previous month.

He slid an arm around her waist, inquiring: "When are we allowed to leave? Not that I mind, Naruto owes watching our four after we watched his three. Plus, eight clones is barely one sweat-drop for that guy"

Sasuke's mood had lightened considerably over the past weeks (although pummeling some enemy ninja in his last mission might've helped a bit).

"We should wait at least a little longer. Hanabi wanted to speak with me about something but she was so busy preparing this morning that I barely got a word in"

"We'll come back tomorrow; they've only been in there a few minutes and it could be hours. They're discussing monetary deals, right?"

She nodded. "Let's head back. They'll be a while"

Hinata finally conceded after another half hour, looking forward to speaking with her sister.

* * *

Dining with the Hyuuga clan was nearly always awkward but today it was especially noticeable, Sasuke thought. They were on the fifth course and it was almost time for dessert.

Each member seemed to flip flop between being insufferably polite and rigid to incredibly casual and jumpy. Sasuke was amused as he watched all this play out before him. For all its pomp, the Hyuuga clan certainly wasn't accustomed to having one stranger-let alone a whole family of them- settled at their dining table.

Hinata wondered what was amusing Sasuke so much but was distracted by the delicious meal set before her; the cooks had certainly pulled out all the stops for this lunch. She was ravenous as each of her children had seemed to be in a terrible, fussy mood today. She'd barely had time to eat between running errands and settling them down for naps and refereeing disputes (Satomi had pulled her older sister's hair and the boys had gotten too serious into a "play" fight) and making lunch (of which she ate little). Her period had also started this morning, nearly 2 weeks early. She had wondered at it but hadn't had time between everything else to go to Tsunade.

Hanabi had asked her to be her maid of honor just before lunch and Hinata had agreed with enthusiasm. Although they wouldn't get to go wedding attire shopping (Hanabi was more liable to fit into her mother's wedding kimono; Hinata had been a bit too busty and her wedding had been so rushed she'd just had to pick the prettiest one at a shop). But she would drag her younger sister on a lingerie shopping venture, help her handle the guestbook and a myriad of other tasks.

Her sister had also informed her that the negotiations were going extremely well. Shun's family had been in Konoha almost two weeks already and had toured Konoha the previous day, with Naruto and the Hokage herself as tour guides (which, Hinata had gotten the impression, had been more than slightly amusing).

Shun's father was being extremely generous in his dealings with the hospital, which had delighted Tsunade greatly. His wife, being more an amateur connoisseur of superficial ornaments than anything, had rather enjoyed their foray through Konoha's many shops and main thoroughfare. (Apparently, Naruto and Tsunade both had almost clocked her for mentioning the "decrepit" state and "odd" shape of the building with the fire emblem, which had just been repainted over the summer.)

Hinata almost leaped for joy when several different desserts were set on the table. She eyed the chocolate cheesecake first. Sasuke smirked as the corners of her mouth turned up as the servants set it right between them.

"I think I'll keep the cheesecake to myself. What do you think?" he teased, grinning as she gently knocked her knee against his thigh under the table.

"I thought so" he said, turning back to his conversation with Shun's father.

She got a generous piece, not feeling too bad because a) she'd done a lot of training this week b) it was chocolate.

"No wonder your sister is so much larger than you, Hanabi-chan, if she has such an eye for sweets!" exclaimed Shun's mother.

Several things happened simultaneously. Shun's father abruptly stopped his conversation with Sasuke to quietly take his wife aside and reprimand her. _Honestly woman. You may get away with your inane cattiness in our circles at home because we're the richest but it's not like that here. You don't know to whom you speak._

Several clan members sensed the very tangible change in Sasuke's demeanor. Hanabi saw a flash of red in his eyes. Hinata's face fell a little at the comment but her first reaction was to reach over and place her hand on her husband's shoulder to calm him down. Shun had visibly paled since his mother's comment and, since Hanabi's arms were crossed in an upset fashion, he was trying to save face for his mother's comment. Even Hiashi's face showed him to be displeased by the showing the wife was putting on, while his son-in-law-to-be and his father were excellent guests.

Seconds of tension elapsed and when Sasuke didn't back down Hinata leaned into his shoulder.

"Calm down. It's okay, Sasuke-kun. The comment didn't injure me-"

Sasuke was too quick. He landed in front of where the noblewoman now stood. She was probably too stupid to know whose wrath she had incurred.

"I was just stating the truth-" she started to say, when Sasuke's hand grabbed hers. Their eyes met for a split second; fiery red pierced empty blue. Not one member dared to interfere.

"I want it understood that I will not have my wife insulted in any circle, ninja or noble" he said, venom nearly spewing from between his gritted teeth.

She started to shake visibly and Sasuke released her. She excused herself from the table, her husband leading her away to their guest room as she murmured "red...so red...b-but his eyes were d-dark..."

Sasuke calmly sat down by his wife and the meal resumed in near complete silence. Shun's father sent a note a few minutes later to let the lunch party know that he wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be back for the remainder of the evening.

Three bites into her cheesecake, Hinata began to feel strange. Tiredness overwhelmed her nearly out of nowhere and she sensed her perception was a tad off.

The room had just settled back into a somewhat normal pace when Hinata tried to stand but ended up leaning heavily onto her husband's shoulder instead.

The room spun around.

"Sasuke-kun, I think something's wrong-" she started.

Sasuke stood immediately to catch her. She vomited all over him first, and then twice more onto the dinner table.

"Hinata, what's-" she doubled over, falling into a ball on the floor while she held her stomach. It hurt. A LOT. "Sasuke-kun, I d-don't..I don't-"

Sasuke watched with concealed terror as his wife lost consciousness. He picked her up immediately, indicating his destination to Hiashi before bounding out of the room.

* * *

There were whispers. Adult voices whispering.

 _Are Temari and Shikamaru over?_

Hinata was puzzled as she woke up in a white room. The last thing she remembered was cheesecake. _Did I faint?_

The door slid open. "Good, you're awake" said Tsunade, a worried expression on her face.

 _No, worry didn't quite cover it_ Hinata decided.

"Wh-what happened? Wh-where is Sasuke-kun? And my children?!" Hinata said, realizing she didn't know how long she'd been out.

"You've only been out a few hours. It's about 7 at night and you arrived about 2 this afternoon. I need you to answer me honestly" she said sternly. She hadn't told Sasuke much yet and had wanted to ask Hinata first. Hinata quieted, wondering what this could be about.

"Were you trying to abort a pregnancy intentionally?" she asked, her eyes holding Hinata's gaze. She knew within seconds the accusation was false.

"N-NO! I would never do something like that! Sasuke-kun and I have been trying b-but-" Hinata said, the tears starting.

"Do you mean that-is that why I'm here? I don't remember a lot of anything-"

"You claimed something was wrong, then you vomited during lunch and crumpled onto the floor. You were also bleeding heavily from your vagina when you arrived, though Sasuke told me that you were on your period. However, it can also be a side effect of a miscarriage or abortifacient tablet"

Hinata's tears stilled but her heart sank. "Did...did I lose a baby, Hokage-sama?" she asked. A heartbeat of silence.

"No. You weren't pregnant" she said, grinning at Hinata's deep sigh of relief yet confused expression.

"Then why-"

"You have enough Misoprostol in your blood work to make you sick for weeks, that's why" she said. "It's almost three times the normal dosage"

Hinata fell back on the bed. Misoprostol was an abortifacient kunoichi often carried in case of being raped while on a long term mission but she'd never had to use it.

"Hokage-sama, I don't know how-"

"It's okay, Hinata. I believe you. But this concerns me greatly. I'll go get Sasuke now" she said, turning to stride back out the door. _I was foolish to believe that incident was a fluke. Whoever it is has graduated from novice ninja attacks now._

* * *

Sasuke was relieved to see his wife awake. But his countenance told her he was upset.

"Sasuke-kun" she said, looking up at him. He stood by her bedside with her arms around his waist.

"What's wrong?" she asked, releasing him to fall back on the bed. She wasn't feeling up to par.

"Hokage-sama told me what happened" he said quietly. He didn't want to believe it could be true but-

"And you don't believe it was an accident..." she said, quiet realization coming over her. She was too stunned to cry.

Both were silent for a few minutes, not even meeting each other's eyes.

Hinata's voice sounded broken when she spoke again.

"H-have...have I not mothered our children well enough? Loved them well enough? Cared for them tenderly enough? To make you sure beyond a doubt that I would never try to just get rid of our 5th?"

He didn't respond. Her head jerked up to meet his eyes.

"Am I not a part of the Uchiha clan to you yet? Will I EVER be, Sasuke-kun? Have our bodies not been unified enough times to show you that I am a part of you, a part of this clan?"

His hesitation was like a slap in the face. She threw her still wobbly legs over the side of the bed, not caring that droplets blood fell from her vagina as she stepped right up to him.

"If you think I am the kind of woman who would lie about wanting another child, who would conceal my hatred for the clan long enough just to kill a child, if you think I'm the kind of mother who is only concerned with her body and herself then I don't know who the hell you've been living with, parenting children with, and banging with but it certainly isn't me."

Barely strong enough, she turned around and began to settle back on the bed.

"Please just leave" she said as coldly and steadily as she could, not able to face him anymore. _What have I done to make him think this of me?_

He opened his mouth to say something. But then turned around to stride solemnly out of the room. The door clicked.

Hinata curled up into a ball, shaking on her hospital bed and feeling more alone than ever.

* * *

Tsunade was speaking with a few nurses just outside Hinata's room.

"Yes, she got the worst of it" the Hokage was saying, listening to another nurse.

"Although I've had 8 other reports of Hyuuga members coming down with similar symptoms, none of them have been worthy of hospitalization" reported the other nurse.

"Were any of the other main branch members affected?" Tsunade asked.

"No, Hokage-sama. The father of Hyuuga Hanabi's fiancé seems to have been affected as well. Since he is male, however, his symptoms are not quite as severe"

She nodded, huffing. "Looks like his wife's pickiness saved her this time. Thank you, that'll be all" she said.

She turned to see Sasuke, who looking a little mortified.

"Come, Sasuke" she said, motioning him into an empty hospital room.

"It looks like someone ground up more than a few abortion-inducing tablets and spread it throughout the food at the meal this afternoon. It looks like Hinata was the main target, though they could've been intending it for Hanabi or the visiting family. However, that theory doesn't make as much logical sense because none of them are trying to conceive...at least not yet. There are many, you know, who would not want this marriage to take place" she said.

He nodded in understanding. "Several others have symptoms too but none of them have fainted as of yet. I've already contacted Hiashi and he has ordered all the food to be quarantined in a main floor kitchen and is keeping it heavily guarded. I am going along with a team now to collect samples of the food to determine what the hell is going on. Meanwhile, I want you to think about who all might've known you were trying to conceive"

He nodded again but she noticed his slight lack of color.

"Hinata will be fine, Sasuke" she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. " She vomited a lot of the medicine up and was not pregnant so no baby of yours has been lost. I will keep her in the hospital probably two or three days until she recovers some strength and her system rids itself of the rest of the drug. Depending on the volume of her vaginal bleeding, I probably would discourage sexual activity for about a week" she said, bidding him farewell.

 _With as mad as she is at me and how I just treated her, I doubt we'll have a problem with the latter._

* * *

Naruto brought the kids to see their mother just before 9pm.

"Oh, I thought Sasuke'd be here" he said, in semi-neat appearance with 7 children in tow. He noticed the way her eyes fell.

"Mama!" exclaimed the Uchiha kids, crawling up from the end of the bed where Naruto had set them to set by (and on) Hinata.

"Mama okay?" asked Hizashi. He had been worried when uncle Naruto said his mom was sick. But daddy had been sick before and got better. And mama looked fine. So he wasn't that worried, now that he could see her.

"Yes, mama's fine Hizashi" she said, pecking her eldest on the forehead. "I'm just a little tired. I hope you're being good kids for Naruto" she said. They grinned and nodded. Naruto's nod confirmed their report, although his apartment looked worse than a training field post-spar.

"Mrs. Uchiha, are you okay?" asked little Amaya, who was learning politeness very quickly. Hinata smiled. "Yes, and I'm very glad to see you girls as well"

"Okay kids" said Naruto, lifting the four off Hinata and setting them in the floor. "Uncle Kiba and Akamaru are in the hallway. Go tackle them" he said, opening the door for them to run out. Hinata giggled as she heard a yelp of "surprise" coming from outside the door. The blonde shut the door, a frown now marring his expression.

"Now what happened?" he inquired, keeping a respectful distance. Even though Sasuke had gotten over his suspicion, it was better not to stir it up again.

She explained the whole incident. Naruto cringed when she told him what the "poison" was used for.

"Did it...were you...did-" he tried to form the words. She shook her head and relief flooded him.

"And where's Sasuke?" he asked. She sighed. "He was here"

Naruto waited for her to finish but she offered nothing further. He turned around to rescue Kiba and leave Hinata in peace.

"He thinks I did it on purpose, Naruto. To hurt the Uchiha clan" she whispered quietly. The weary, broken tone of her voice pierced his heart. Her squeezed the doorknob nearly to the point of breaking it but managed to exit calmly.

* * *

It was lonely sleeping alone in the enormous Uchiha mansion.

Sasuke's conscious would never allow him to recognize loneliness as the reason for his restlessness. He thrived in silence. But this silence was like an abandoned Orochimaru lair.

His children were at Naruto's for a few days, though his permission hadn't really been sought. Hinata would be home the day after tomorrow but he didn't know how he felt about it. He rolled over onto his stomach. He didn't know how he felt about anything anymore. _UGH. What's WRONG WITH ME?_

He finally rose around 5 with little sleep under his belt. Hinata hadn't objected to him not staying with her in the hospital overnight. He set out for the training field after barely scarfing down some toast. _Maybe some splinters would take my mind of losing her...er...of things._

Sasuke had barely taken ten steps from the mansion's front door when an orange blob, fueled by rage and disgust, tackled him to the ground. It hurt; Naruto was pretty dense.

But it was exactly the distraction Sasuke was looking for. The second before he retaliated, he heard Naruto growl

 **_"I can't believe you treat her this way and you still have her"_**

His retaliation was full force as his anger, mainly at himself, flared.

The battle wore on and drew many villagers (as well as Kakashi) to make sure nothing was wrong.

Two hours later, completely drained, Naruto stumped home to relieve Kiba and Shino of kid duty as his Uchiha friend dragged himself to the hospital. He checked himself in and collapsed on the other bed in his wife's room. Strangely, she seemed to be absent at the present time.

Somehow, despite his broken ribs and several other injuries he imagined he'd received (Naruto had been real pissed off), he felt better than he had that morning.

As he drifted off, he contemplated that he might feel better because of the endorphins. Another thought crossed his mind immediately following: maybe, just maybe it was because she was there.

* * *

Shorter than usual, I know. But good, yeah? I hope so! Early merry Christmas (Mayyyyyyyyybe two more chapters before the end of the year. we'll see!)

Also: I'm not a doctor and have NO idea if powder-fied tables will induce abortion the same as whole ones would but for the purposes of this story they did. Sorry, sources are sparse.

-Pi-chan! :)


	27. Chapter 27

He had a bouquet of roses delivered to their room.

Then watched from his hospital bed as she methodically severed each head from its stem, one by one. An entire six hours since she'd woken up to find him here with her, battered and she had yet to acknowledge him directly. Her eyes were listless.

When he came back from the bathroom, the beheaded stems were laying on his pillow and she was gone.

The Hokage had let her go an entire day early, he found out a few minutes later.

"YOU,however, need to stay at least another night"

He was about to snicker and storm out of the place when she caught his elbow in a very tight grip.

"Look. You've really hurt her this time and unless you prove that you trust her I doubt you'll get her heart back where you had it when you didn't realize what you had. She needs to have some time away from you and staying in the hospital a couple days is the best way to do it without alerting any of her friends. Because if they find out what you accused her of, Naruto's injuries are going to be the least of your worries"

She released him. After she'd gone, Sasuke crossed his arms and sat back down. _What does she know?_

* * *

Hinata hadn't gone to get the children from Naruto's yet. She was curled up on the couch, staring into space as the late summer afternoon passed without event outside the window. She couldn't lay in the master bed. Not with so many memories entangled in the sheets, so many wisps of bonds that she once thought so strong practically emblazoned on the pillow shams.

 _What am I in this marriage for?_ Because there's no way out. _Is that the only reason? Just yesterday I thought there was more..._

She went to see Kurenai and her daughter's laughter lifted her spirits for a moment. But not even that environment could block the gnawing emptiness. She left and Kurenai's eyes were filled with worry as she watched her walk away.

 _Am I not a good mother? A good wife?_

She passed Ino and Sai with little two and a half year old Akihiko and four month old Hanae in tow with hardly a glance. Both were surprised as the Uchiha woman usually acknowledged them warmly. Hinata passed the academy and then the Hokage tower, seemingly without aim. Perhaps she should let off some steam with some training but didn't know if the Hokage would like that so soon after the hospital stay...

 _To hell with being sick_ she snapped in her head.

She went to training ground 5 and began working on her taijutsu. It worked for a little while but after half an hour she couldn't concentrate anymore.

Furious, she exited. _What's WRONG with me?_ she seethed, uncertain where this restless frustration was coming from. She went to visit Temari but stormed away from that too when her senses picked up a likely intimate setting going on within the apartment. _It is almost his birthday..._

She stopped. _Damn. The triplets were turning four in a few days' time and she'd nearly forgotten in the midst of the last 24 hours._

She didn't feel like shopping for party supplies today. Perhaps a small party at home would be better from now on, until they were older. _Yes, that'll be fine._

Hinata suddenly realized where she'd wandered. She glanced up at the building in front of her, her eyes rereading the title twice. A thought crossed her mind.

Not usually impulsive, she went to turn around. _Why not?_

Hinata turned back around and strode through the door with a grin on her face.

* * *

She felt ten pounds lighter as she knocked on Naruto's door. A still-somewhat-bruised future Hokage answered, with Kushina perched on his head and Hiraku and Satomi in his arms while Manami was clinging to his leg. _Is it always this chaotic? No wonder the kids are always so tired..._

"I'm sorry do I know -oh my gosh" Naruto stopped short. The woman with the short hair cut in front of him looked so different from the typically long haired Uchiha matriarch.

It was a giggle at first. And then full blown laughter. She waited for him to calm down and apparently hadn't considered how different she'd look because it even took the triplets a few moments to recognize her. Yua came from behind Naruto.

"Mama?" she said, tilting her head to the side. She felt like mama but all her hair was gone!

"Yes, Yua it's me" all three ran to her and wanting to touch her hair.

"Sasuke's gonna LOSE it" said Naruto, still cracking up.

Hinata tossed her head. "So?" she quipped, a flash of defiance shining in her eyes.

"No, no. I didn't say it was a bad thing. In fact, I'd like to be there to watch" he said, finally catching his breath.

She smiled. "Thanks for watching them, Naruto" she said genuinely.

"Where's daddy?" asked Hizashi, gently tugging at his mom's hair. She'd gotten an asymmetrical bob and he was gently feeling the longer part that framed her face.

"He's in the hospital. He play fought with someone yesterday and got a little too into it" she said, raising a knowing eyebrow at the blonde.

Naruto grinned, his hands slipping behind his head.

"Can we see him?" Yua asked. She missed her daddy more now that her mommy was here.

"It's already nearly 7. We'll go see him tomorrow. Have they eaten yet?" she said, turning to Naruto.

"Uh, I'm kinda of out of food. Yesterday is normally my shopping day but..." he started to say, a little embarrassed. He really was more responsible now.

"That's fine. Let's all go out-it's on the Uchiha clan tonight!" she said and the kids hoorayed.

The kids went to put their shoes on and Naruto whispered: "Hey, Hinata. Is Sasuke going to be alright with this? I mean we'll be in public sure but-"

"Quite frankly, I don't give a damn what Sasuke thinks right now" she whispered back, giving an uncharacteristic hair flip as she went to help Satomi put her shoes on.

Unwillingly, after all these years,Naruto was turned on. He willed his eyes away from her obviously voluptuous figure. Even after four kids she still...

"Naruto, you'll need shoes too" she said, holding the eight kids at the door while they waited for him. She'd already picked up little Mamoru and was holding him on her hip along with Satomi in the other arm. _He's a huge idiot sometimes but he's still your best friend. And she's definitely still his wife._

"Oi! Right!" he said, stumbling out the door.

* * *

Tsunade threw down the lab results.

"You're telling me that someone managed to POISON ALMOST AN ENTIRE MEAL IN A HOUSE FULL OF BYAKUGAN USERS?" she screamed, furious. Almost every single dish had traces of the abortion-inducing drug in it.

She summoned Hinata, whose hair cut made the Hokage do a double take. Then she smiled in amusement.

"Sasuke likes long hair, doesn't he?"

After Hinata's subtle nod she laughed. "He's done it this time, hasn't he? Has he seen it? He's being released later today. I can only keep him there so long and it's already been almost a week..."

"I'm ready" she said. She hadn't visited him in five days, having had Naruto take the kids to him on their birthday.

"I bet you are" she said, still amused. "But before you go, have a look at this list of food and tell me which dishes you'd eat"

A strange request, Hinata thought, but she did so anyway.

"I would eat all but the fourth one and the seventh one on the list" she said. "Why?"

Tsunade scanned the list, her brow furrowing deeper into a frown. "Those are the exact dishes that weren't poisoned at the meal, Hinata. It looks like you were the target. Have you felt any symptoms since?"

She shook her head.

"Well, just be wary of whom you take food from until we figure this out. And tell Sasuke the results of the lab work are in...once he gets over your new look that is" she said. Hinata bowed and strode out the door.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't exactly looking forward to going home. He wasn't pleased with Hinata. She hadn't come to see him since her discharge and she hadn't even waited on him to throw the triplets' fourth birthday party, opting instead to send them with Naruto and Kiba to the hospital while she watched Naruto's four children.

As he strode over the hill to the mansion, his children ran to greet him. He sensed his wife the doorway, although she didn't approach him. He looked back down to his children before his head flew up again to look at his wife's face. _Where...where was her hair? WHAT-_

He swore the grin she grinned flashed her teeth and she strode forward then, her new short hair blowing slightly in the breeze.

There was no warm "I missed you" kiss. After informing him the lab results were in, she barely even acknowledged him.

"Anyway, I'm going to Temari's. We're having dinner. I'll be back late. Bye" she said, brushing her hair over her shoulder and turning to stride over the hill without so much as a glance at Sasuke. _The hell-_

But she was gone. And he was left with four children.

"Would you like to play hide-and-seek?" he asked. Their training disguised as playing had been neglected this past week. They were already fairly quick for four-year-olds and it was time to work on sensing and reacting.

"You play with us?" asked Yua. She was delighted. He nodded, trying to block out his frustration and confusion (and slight hurt, though he'd never admit it) at Hinata's behavior.

* * *

Two weeks passed in this manner. Hinata spent most of her time with Temari or one of the other girls. He was also pretty sure Naruto saw more of his wife than he did. She was never there to tuck the kids in anymore and Sasuke was so baffled that he didn't even know how to approach her for intimacy now.

"I want mommy to make us breakfast" Hiraku said brazenly, making a face at the black pancake on his plate.

"She's not here"

"Why not?" Yua asked, agreeing with her younger brother.

"I don't know" he replied.

"Why not?" Yua repeated innocently. She missed her mom.

" I DON'T KNOW" he shouted, startling his children. They started to cry. Immediately sorry, he gathered them into his arms.

"I really don't know" he said, holding them close.

* * *

Inevitably, they passed each other late one night in the master bedroom. She wasn't quick enough to escape his grasp.

"Stay in tonight" he whispered, not caring that his borderline desperation threaded throughout his voice. She turned on him.

"There's no reason to" she replied, her face not revealing any emotion. His hand squeezed hers and he brushed his body against hers.

She reeled back.

"You know there is" he said. _Stay. Let's be what we were. Let's be better._

"I know that THE Sasuke Uchiha has no use for a wife he cannot trust and the future of the prestigious Uchiha clan children cannot be trusted to such hateful, incapable hands like mine. So I see no reason to stick around here pretending"

She left nail marks on his cheek; he left a bruise on her wrist from holding her so tight before letting her go after she lashed out at him.

That night after the kids were tucked in he left Ahota to watch them while he went to every guy he knew, seeking advice.

Shikamaru was surprised when he saw the marks on his face, whistling.

"Sorry, man. I'm not really allowed to speak about it. Temari's not telling me much as it is. None of the women will say anything to us. Hinata comes into one of our places late and leaves before we get up in the morning"

Naruto also feigned ignorance.

"You hurt her pretty deeply, Sasuke. Don't expect this to be an easy fix like in the past. You do realize you accused _Hinata_ of trying to abort her own child, right? Do you know what that says about her? Even more, do you know what that says about you? I hope your clan pride and disregard keeps you warm at night"

His final stop was the Hokage. She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"I don't like seeing you two like this anymore than you do. All I can say is that you're going to have to show that you trust her. How you do that is up to you but you'd better get to it"

Hinata had also been spending more time at the Hyuuga mansion, helping Hanabi prepare for her wedding. She'd also gotten to know Shun and his parents a little better. Her opinion of the mother improved little but she admired Shun's father more and more. Shun was obviously very smitten with her younger sister and she couldn't be happier for her.

"Sis, why are you over here so much?" Hanabi finally asked one day. She tried to shrug it off.

"Things aren't good with Uchiha, are they?" she said, calculating.

Hinata tried to deflect it with questions about flower arrangements but Hanabi outmaneuvered her verbally like a true clan head. Hinata finally broke down and told her everything.

At the end of the tirade, Hinata was distraught and a mixture of angry tears, raw emotion and frazzled nerves.

Hanabi, who seemed to have taken all this calmly, was quietly seething.

"I have some last minute things to work out with Shun and then let's have a sleepover, for old time's sake" she said. Hinata smiled and agreed.

It wasn't all that hard to slip out of the Hyuuga mansion for Hanabi, especially after she "retired" for the night.

 _I'm coming for you, Uchiha._

* * *

Hinata rejoiced at first when Temari told her that she and Shikamaru were finally expecting their second child. Then the realization seemed to slam into Hinata with a sickening thud in her stomach. She bit back tears. _She might be pregnant by this time too if..._

"I'm already a month along and wouldn't have caught it if my period hadn't been late! I'm already hoping it's a girl because..."

Hinata zoned out for one of the rare times during her and Temari's friendship.

Temari snapped her fingers in front of Hinata's face. "Oi Hinata-chan..."

"I'm sorry Temari. I just..." her face fell. Temari tipped it up.

"Hinata. Things will be alright again. You know he'll come around. He-"

"It's not about whether he'll come around or not" she snapped. Temari drew her hand back.

"If he doesn't trust me, if he doesn't-" she stopped herself. "Then what's the point?" she asked somewhat rhetorically, standing abruptly.

"Hinata, I'm sorry I-"

"It's fine. See you later Temari"

The blonde grabbed her, tugging her back in her seat.

"Listen. I may be pregnant but I'm not going to let you wallow in this. Hinata, Sasuke made a mistake. He may not trust you as much as he should after everything that's happened, that's true. But Hinata, you forget what happened to everyone he ever trusted. That sort of trauma leaves a mark, a deep mark. He's used to people using him and leaving. He's used to trusting not even his siblings. He-" she stopped short.

Hinata had never realized how much Temari could empathize with Sasuke. In some ways, their childhoods had been similar. Sometimes she forgot that this family thing, this permanence was indeed a strange thing for him. He wasn't used to relying on things outside himself.

Temari finally regained her words. "I'm not saying you should let him off scot-free" she said. "But you two had...have...a good thing despite his suspicious nature. And I'd hate to see that...dissolve..." she finished awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

Hinata's tenseness eased somewhat. "Plus, with the recent poisoning and all you really need to stick together...all of us do" she said finally. She was worried for the Uchiha clan. Shikamaru had given her his private analysis of the situation. Someone not only had to be extremely knowledgeable of medicines and have open access to them but also had to know the very private Hyuugas' household routine, both of which were no small feat in and of themselves.

Hinata thanked her and apologized for not showing her enthusiasm over her new pregnancy.

"It's okay. I'm not super thrilled about the vomiting that's sure to come either" joked Temari as they parted after a hug.

Hinata walked around for a little while longer on her own, deciding Temari was right. She prepared herself for her homecoming, turning her sights toward the mansion. _But first she needed to go see Kurenai._

* * *

Hanabi was surprised to find a huge snake alone with her nieces and nephews.

"Where's Sharingan boy?" she quipped. She hadn't been able to find him the other night after she snuck out of the Hyuuga mansion either.

The huge snake hissed slightly at such a disrespectful title.

"He'ssss said something about trussst and mistress Hinata but I'm not sure of the detailsss" he replied. He knew more than what he said but wasn't sure how much he should share. He knew his master had gone to try and find his wife to bring her back to apologize. He'd never seen his master so desperate.

Her white eyes appraised him. "Very well. I believe you" she said, turning to go back to the Hyuuga mansion. _Maybe I won't have to maim him after all._

A lone figure watched her from the opposite direction. The four children inside the mansion were as vulnerable now as they could be with the only powerful adult within a mile steadily striding away. All that stood in the way was the snake.

Over the next several minutes, the figure made its way to the front door as the sunset cast shadows over the land. Just before reaching the door, another long shadow moved from the right side of the mansion. _Damn. There's no way I can take her at her full strength._

Hinata had come home.

* * *

Sasuke stumbled back into the mansion around 9. He'd looked everywhere. His wife was damned good at hide and seek. It was a little past the kids' bed time but their routine had been slightly off anyway and it wasn't like Hinata cared anymore. He sighed as he headed up the stairs, not bothering to stop and take note of the silence. These last few weeks had given him new respect for Naruto and in his single fatherhood. _Another thing he bests me at._

It occurred to him as he reached the stairs. _Where was Ahota? And the laughter?_

Sharingan activated, he bolted up the stairs. _Am I too late?_

But his eyes told him nothing was amiss. Afraid of waking the kids, he slipped into their rooms in his ultra sneaky mode he usually reserved for difficult missions.

All the seals were in place. They were all asleep already. _That could only mean one thing..._

Nervousness and tingles shot through his system unbidden. His eyes faded to black as he strode toward the master bedroom door. Almost giddy, he opened the door and strode in with as confident of a stride as he could muster. _I knew your body would miss mine too._

She was laying on her side in a long, white robe and her eyes were alert. She let him nearly make it all the way to the bed before standing slowly and coming over to him.

He reached out to touch the long ends of her hair, gently twiddling the end between his fingers. For the first time in weeks, she didn't slap his hand away or jerk her head away from him.

"Hi"

It was all he could think to say. She didn't make a reply and noiselessly raised her head to meet his eyes. They were still cold towards him, he knew. He pulled his hand back from touching her hair. He didn't deserve to touch her anymore. How did one go about-

"Go ahead. Take my robe off" she said, almost like an annoyed command. Hinata even handed him the ends to the tie on her robe. _Well this is going better than I-_

He gasped sharply and stood back, paling as her robe parted in the center.

There was a terribly ugly, twisted wound right over her heart. She shifted her arms to allow her robe to slide of the rest of the way. His eyes, familiar with all her scars, winced. Although the wound on her chest was the worst, he noticed the rest of her body was covered in seemingly fresh wounds. _But she didn't have any missions recently._

He started to shake in anger. "Who... _who did this to you?"_ he rasped. They would pay. They would-

"You did" she stated, watching the shock, confusion and horror crossing his face. "I would never-"

"But you did" she said. He finally saw that the wounds were fading rapidly. _Oh, it's just a simple genjutsu..._ He was furious with himself for not having seen it before.

Slowly the wounds receded until they spelled words. "Bad mother" appeared down her left arm. "Uncaring" was written down her right arm. "Abortion" was written across her stomach. "Doesn't belong" glowed red right over her jugular. Various other insults were scrawled across her body in various places.

Her voice finally broke. "Can't...can't you see how your words wound me? This-this is what your mistrust does to me, Sasuke" she said, intentionally leaving off the affectionate honorific.

"I love you, Sasuke. I've whispered that to you. I've screamed that to you. I've stated it to you with all my heart. I've tried and tried to trust you so much-through accusations of affairs and through your cold-hearted reputation and against everyone else's wishes. And I just can't be...the only one working on this anymore"

He tried to interrupt her but she stopped him. The wounds were really bothering him. _Come on, Sasuke. It's just a simple genjutsu. You could've done this when you were 12..._

"You've said you love me. But there is no love without trust, unless you mean that you love me "as a broodmare" to pump out your children or as a "curvy brick" to cuddle up to at night or as a "house maid" to keep your house in order. We've been married almost five years, Sasuke. We've made love hundreds of times and I've born four children for you and have agreed to bear several more. I gave up the life I wanted all my youth to be with you and have given my all, my everything to make it work. I would give my life for our children and for you"

She stepped up to him. The words "not a part of the clan" appeared on her forehead. "And still you think I'd get rid of a baby. Still you treat me as if I'm just a stranger because I don't share Uchiha blood. STILL..." She was near breaking down.

"Still I'm not a part of this clan in your eyes. Still you..can't just take me at my words..." her voice halted and she fell silent.

He had a lot to consider. Moments of silence passed and then minutes. Tears finally streamed down her cheeks and she turned away.

He gently grabbed her from behind, his head sliding over her shoulder. "Hinata-chan...I-I'm so sorry..I don't know how to..." he said, a little awkwardly. He had never realized that it mattered whether he trusted someone or not.

She broke his hold and pulled away from him, steeling herself against his touch. As angry and as sorrowful as she was, his touch on her bare skin had aroused her significantly after weeks of abstinence.

"Prove that you trust me. Or at least show me that you're willing to trust me more" she said, looking over her shoulder at him.

Having been momentarily distracted by the curve of her bare back, his eyes went back up to meet hers. "How-"

"Let me into your mind" she said simply, turning to walk back to him. He appraised her guardedly.

"You've been inside mine. Surely you are able to do the reverse and pull me into yours..." she said, her eyebrows raising. _She didn't know what she was asking. What if she...what if...he'd never..._

 _"_ I-I-..." he sputtered, hesitating. No one had ever dared ask such a thing before. She was quiet, her eyes softening in the slightest as they shared unbroken eye contact for nearly a minute. He looked away from her suddenly. "I...I don't know..."

Sadness filled her eyes. "So you're saying you're unwilling to do for me what I have done for you? What makes you so apprehensive? Sasuke-kun, do you honestly think I would do anything to hurt you intentionally?"

He regarded her. "No..."

"Then why-"

"I don't know, okay?I JUST DON'T KNOW" he nearly shouted. She pulled back, conceding for the evening.

"Well, I'm tired and miss sleeping in my own bed. Please don't even think about touching me. Goodnight"

She slid into bed, turning on her side away from him. _Too late_ he thought.

* * *

Okay I lied I might squeeze 2 chapters in before the end of the year. Starting now we're gently sloping to the end of the story (though the climax is obviously still to come!)

Anything you'd like to see more of? The other couples in the village? Missions? Uhm...anything? Reviews as always are appreciated!

Happy Holidays!

-Pi-chan :)


	28. Chapter 28

They held one another's gaze for untold minutes.

Hinata had awoken to her husband hovering above her, their bodies parallel with his palms firmly settled on either side of her shoulders, almost timidly. He'd been laying awake all night...deciding.

His gaze was intense but Sasuke was also trembling. Hinata knew quite well that her husband was strong enough to hold this plank position far longer than this. _Is he...trembling out of fear? What could scare him this much?_

And suddenly she was walking. A cinerious mist enshrouded the void she seemed to have entered. _There's been so much grey in my life. For so long..._

She jumped. That was Sasuke's voice, although it was tinged with a dreamlike quality and sounded so wearied.

Crimson shot out on her right side, unmistakably blood. _The-the massacre..._

Before her, she watched that painful moonlit scene of the distant past play out as her husband had done countless times, waking or sleeping. _I always seem to forget how young he was when..._

She watched as the scene before her shattered, and Sasuke's understanding of family and trust right along with it. _Has he shown anyone else this...?_

"No" his voice answered. "No one else has witnessed that night from inside my head"

Darkness fell and Hinata nearly doubled over as she felt his torment, empathized with his agony.

 _"Look at him, the only survivor..."_

 _"Serves that clan right..."_

 _"Will he be another Itachi...?"_

Back in their bedroom, Sasuke's trembling was growing worse and his tears were dripping onto Hinata's neck and chest. She was so engrossed in his mind, in his vulnerability that she didn't even notice.

A flash of bright light. _The early days of team 7..._

She watched for a long time as he led her through his history. He left large portions of his time with Orochimaru shrouded in the blackest darkness. _That's okay Sasuke-kun. You don't have to show me everything. I am thankful for you showing me this much._

His presence, though she couldn't see him bodily, seemed to relax in the slightest manner. She observed how keen Sasuke's brotherly affection and love for Naruto was and, though she had known, was even surprised at its warmth.

 _I'll never tell that idiot but he was the only light in my darkness with Orochimaru_ the weary voice narrated.

Hinata winced at how close she'd come to never having Sasuke as a husband during the Fourth Shinobi War. Then, immediately following, was a different feeling than she'd felt yet. To her surprise, it was a pink color. Filled with tenderness and admiration but interwoven with bright hues that radiated heady desire and potent protective instincts.

 _"This is how I...how I feel about you, Hinata-chan"_

She tried to hide her amusement at his embarrassment while trying to hide her own aghast shyness. Seeing some of her own memories from their courtship and early marriage from his point of view was fascinating; she also realized she was a huge dork sometimes. Before she knew it, they were at the night they first made love.

It was strange, watching her bare herself to him for the first time. She watched her own robe hit the floor and everything went red.

 _That's...that's how you f-feel...w-when I-I-I-I..._

 _"When you're naked? Yes._

She felt, from his side of things, his love and admiration in the secret glances she watched him take when she wasn't looking and in the long gazes he took liberally before she awoke in the morning. Back on their bed, her cheeks were flushed and she was crying too. _He...he really does think I'm beautiful._...

They eventually arrived at the present day. Feeling his elation at her pregnancies was so reassuring, although some scenes had tiny crimson fractures radiating down from the original massacre.

Their family picture appeared before her and she finally saw Sasuke. Only this Sasuke was still small,probably the same age he was at the time of the massacre.

He stood outside the sphere of the new Uchiha clan picture. He looked sullen and sad. Hinata strode over to the little boy, whom she assumed was a part of her husband's subconscious. He didn't react to her at first, as he was so fixated on the picture.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" she asked, kneeling down to his level. He didn't speak for a length of time but eventually he answered.

" I really want to join but if I join, they'll get hurt" he answered, amazing Hinata at the difference between the voice she knew so well and this small child's one.

She reached out to hold his hand. "Why do you think that?"

"Because it is what happened to the last Uchiha clan. " he responded, glancing over his shoulder.

Hinata turned to look and, in the distance, the red from the massacre memory was on the horizon, looming like an angry storm cloud.

"Either...either I won't be strong enough to protect them or I'll hurt them myself..."he stated. He wasn't crying but Hinata figured he was beyond tears.

She was silent for a while, staring at the picture.

"What if it would hurt them more if you weren't there?" she asked. He jerked his head to look up at her, his little hands balling into fists. She reached down and held his tiny fists in her hands.

"Sasuke, you know this picture isn't possible without you, right?" she asked the little boy. He peered around her. "I'm...I'm the daddy?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, Sasuke. Without you there would be no children for this picture and I would be alone."

She pulled his small head onto her shoulder and whispered into his ear: "You aren't a perfect husband or a perfect father. And no one expects you to be: I don't and neither do the children. But you are a good one; all we need is your trust and your love."

He pulled back from her, a little stunned. "You're a part of our family, Sasuke...no, don't look back" she said, gently pulling his chin so that he faced away from the memories of the massacre.

"Sasuke, all the clan members of your childhood are gone. Your parents, your brother, your uncles and aunts. I can't imagine that except that I lost my mother at a young age. But Sasuke, you have new clan members. You have two sons that grow stronger each day. You have an eldest daughter who is flourishing and a younger daughter who looks more Uchiha than you do. And...and you have...me..." she said quietly, pecking him on the forehead.

* * *

Everything dissolved. Her head was a little foggy for a few seconds until she realized they were back in their bedroom (or rather, that they'd never left) and he was still above her. Her cheeks were wet and so was her neck, for his tears had fallen all over her. He took him a few seconds to realize that she was softly kissing a dozen different points on his face.

 _"I don't deserve this. I should just leave..."_

She felt him shift above her and realized his intention. Her arms flew around his neck.

"No. Stay" she said. He was powerless. _It'd been so long..._ and he felt as if he'd let her too close. _What if she thinks..._

"You have me...forever" she said breathlessly. Sasuke Uchiha was unsure of what to do next. His wondering was answered when her smaller, slightly cold hands slid underneath his shirt and started to pull it off. "Hinata...are...you sure?" he asked even as he felt the shirt slide over his hair.

Suddenly, she pulled him into her mind for a brief few seconds. _She's getting good at this._

Sasuke started to tremble again. He felt keenly her ache to be filled... _by him specifically._ As if feeling her ache from her point of view wasn't enough, she pulled each of his palms to settle over her peaked nipples.

Coupling weeks of abstinence with the incredibly intimate moment proved to be explosive.

As his head settled on her shoulder, still joined to her for a moment more, the light wisps of her former moans and screams cascading over his ear in breathy pants. He was breathing heavily too and he whispered "I love you" before removing himself from inside her and pulling her onto his chest.

A few beats of silence passed before he added: "And we're **_never_** going that long without lovemaking again"

Hinata grinned as she snuggled closer to him.

* * *

The children were ecstatic that mommy and daddy were back to being happy with each other. Not too long after their makeup session, Yua squealed in delight (although they looked a little bemused) as Sasuke twirled them up above his head.

"Daddy!" Yua squealed as Sasuke caught her and her small face nuzzled into his neck. He went to pick up Satomi who looked a little apprehensive. Much like her father, she trusted few things outside of herself.

"It's okay" said Yua, walking over to her younger sister. "Daddy is the best ninja in the world. He can catch anything" the young girl said. Satomi smiled, nodding. Soon the living room of the Uchiha mansion was filled with the usually stoic Satomi's squeals.

"Is daddy really the best ninja in the world?" Hiraku asked his mother.

She smiled. "One of them. There are many powerful ninja in the world. Your daddy is up there with the best and so is uncle Naruto" she said, ruffling his hair.

"Wow!" all four kids exclaimed and Sasuke even had a slight dust of blush on his cheeks.

* * *

Winter came early to Konoha, its first snow coming the last week of October. The Naras and Uchihas planned a joint trip to Suna.

"The last time we were there was before Akane was born and now their second child is due any day. Taking five kids to Suna isn't going to be easy but I'm sure it'll be fun!" Temari exclaimed. "And I won't be able to make the trip back if I wait much longer..." she said, blushing slightly as she patted her 3-month-along tummy.

"Yes, it's a good idea" agreed Hinata. "We probably will leave after two weeks, as the Hyuuga will want me here for Christmas and Hanabi will want me for last minute wedding preparation but we should at least travel there together."

They decided to leave on the first of December and the night before, the four Uchiha children slept over at Naruto's house. The Uzumaki and Uchiha children were a tight knit group, especially Yua and Amaya. As eldest girls, they often teamed up to boss the others around. Naruto was helping the Hokage and so he would be unable to accompany the couples on this trip. _All the better;there'll probably be another contest this time_ Naruto thought, shivering as he recalled his last experience. He and the rest of their friend group were, however, extremely overjoyed to see Sasuke and Hinata's relationship improving.

Sasuke and Hinata ate dinner on the town, enjoying each other's company. On the walk back, Sasuke excused himself to go on a walk alone.

Hinata wondered at it but didn't say anything, figuring he needed to gear up for being around so many people for such an extended period of time. Although, since their intimate walk together through his mind, he had been acting different. He was noticeably more light-hearted and she could see that his trust in her had grown. He expressed things to her now in their alone time-after making love or during naps or if they woke before the children-that he never would have before and his use of pet names sky-rocketed.

 _My worst fear is losing you, Hinata-chan_ he had confided in her just the other morning after she woke in his arms. Shocked, she had kissed him and told him the same. Although it didn't seem like it, he was moved at the thought that she loved him so deeply that she would fear losing him.

 _Maybe she really does mean what she says..._

Hinata could also tell he was still worried about the incident at the Hyuuga mansion and Hinata hadn't eaten there since. She only ate food she prepared herself or that was brought to her by Temari, Kiba or Shino. Sasuke had banned her accepting all Hyuuga mansion food and food that Hinata, himself or someone they trusted implicitly hadn't prepared or seen be prepared. Hinata didn't mind, although she didn't know what she would do at Hanabi's wedding.

Shaking her mind off of it, Hinata slipped into a burgundy-jeweled babydoll, not bothering to put on the matching g-string. Since seeing the way her body made him feel, even after four kids, she was way more confident.

Sasuke was a little longer than she'd anticipated, not returning for almost an entire hour.

She approached him from the bathroom doorway as he entered the master bedroom. A smirk immediately crossed his face; he met her at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, did I keep you waiting?" he inquired as he outmaneuvered her, his knee sliding between her legs as he held her against the bed post.

"Nothing on the bottom?" he whispered in a throaty voice, nipping her on the ear. He let her feet barely touch the floor before pinning both her hands with his left and using his right hand to caress the V in her legs. Holding pressure on the juncture of her legs, she moaned loudly as he slid a finger in. He was moving fast and she couldn't get enough.

She instinctively closed her legs around his hand, grinding down on it with her body. "Sssasuke..."she panted. She'd wanted to talk a little bit before this but her body was taking full control.

"Yes?" he inquired innocently. The smirk was still on his lips when he pressed them against hers. He released her so that she could help him begin to undress.

The doorbell sounded, almost as if it was in a dream. Both ninja froze, eyes meeting. A second buzz sounded. Then a somewhat impatient third.

Being the more put together of the two, Sasuke steeled himself and was at the front door in a flash, opening it before the fourth buzz could sound.

"Hello Ino" Sasuke said in the most pleasant voice he could muster. _Thank you oh so much for interrupting our fun._

"Hey Sasuke, is Hinata here? I wanted to ask her something about teething and I wanted to see if I could leave Akihiko here tomorrow while I take Hanae to her check up. Normally I would just take him with me but Akihiko doesn't really like-"

"I'm sorry. We are leaving for Suna tomorrow but have you tried Tenten?" he said in an unintentionally icy tone. His fingers gripped the door frame tightly, trying to keep a hold of himself. _Come on come on...leave._

"Well, I take it Hinata isn't in right now. Is there anything you need help with Sasuke?" _Yes, but you cannot help me with it._

"Not at the moment. And try salt water if Hanae is having extra trouble" he offered, hopefully as pacification.

"That's great! Thanks! Goodnight Sasuke" she said, and the door was closed the moment she had turned.

Hinata awaited him at the bedroom door.

"Darling" he whispered, taking her by the waist and watching her flush more fully as he brushed her with his member.

"Who was it?" she asked, curious. He placed his index finger over her lips. She quieted and several seconds passed in that embrace.

She wondered why he hesitated. "The moment isn't gone" she encouraged. He backed her up to the bed.

He smiled, pulling her close. "How would you like me to enter you tonight, Hinata-chan?"

He enjoyed feeling her shake with anticipation. He thumbed a nipple. "From behind?" he asked as he kissed her. She shook her head.

"Above?" his lips were on her other nipple now.

"Below?" the babydoll was coming off.

He thought he was running out of options. She helped him out of his underwear (he'd discarded his pants somewhere on the stairs after answering the door). She bit her lip.

He growled deep in his throat and he stepped close to her and she knew that he wanted to join with her. _Now._

She playfully licked his lips, surprising her husband by leading him to the window seat instead of the bed. "I...I want to sit in your lap" she whispered.

He settled on the edge and opened his arms for her to join him, helping her adjust to the angle before thrusting upwards.

Her head tossed back _a very good sign_ and his name streamed from her lips when they weren't smothered against his.

For the second time in their marriage, their orgasms aligned and the moans of the Uchiha and his lady were heard long into the night.

Some time later, they were settled still naked on the window seat, cuddling as the moon shone outside on the winter night.

"I decided something on my walk earlier" he said as she cuddled into his chest.

"Oh? Are you going to finally dye your hair?" she replied, giggling as he gently bit the back of her neck.

"Not quite. Hinata, I've decided that four children is enough for the Uchiha clan. I don't want to put you through anymore and I don't want-"

She stopped him with a kiss. "Sasuke, pregnancy is easy compared to the roller coaster we've been on. We'll have at least seven, if we are able, as we agreed" she said simply.

"But Hinata-chan, don't you want-"

She shook her head. "It's fine Sasuke, it really is" she assured him. They went back to bed shortly after, wanting to rest for the long trip to Suna.

Sasuke was almost asleep when he felt Hinata move up next to his ear and whisper: "you're a little late for not wanting a fifth child anyway. Temari and I are both bringing surprises with us to Suna"

In his drowsiness, it took him a few seconds to catch on. He bolted up, Hinata's head landing in his lap.

"Hinata-chan...you...you're pregnant...a-again?" he asked. She grinned. "Yes. I've taken three tests over the last three days. I hope you're ready for number five!" she exclaimed.

He looked a little apprehensive. "As...long as you are..." he said. Now he was more than worried about the trip to Suna, due to begin in mere hours.

As if she read his mind,she said: "Sasuke-kun, it's okay. I went to the Hokage yesterday and I can't be more than two months along. I haven't even had any morning sickness yet!" she reassured him. "And my Byakugan and chakra abilities are just fine. I trained with father yesterday and he said I was fine. So please let me have a last excursion" she said, smiling.

"Okay. But we're going to keep this pregnancy under wraps from general public knowledge as long as possible" Sasuke stated seriously. Taking a few moments to recall his midwife training (sometimes he forgot that he'd helped so many women birth babies) he realized that Hinata shouldn't be showing all that much at Hanabi's wedding. _Unless she's having more than one._

Sasuke slept much more uneasy than his wife. Both he and Shikamaru on the trip there should be enough protection but if Shikamaru stayed in Suna on their return trip... _i'll worry about that then._

* * *

The trip to Suna, other than being exhausting with five children (and two pregnant women), was uneventful. Satomi, who had never left the village before, took everything in without expression in everything but her wide,childlike eyes.

They were greeted by Gaara and his family. Namika joked that, at some point, they should all visit when she wasn't heavily pregnant. One year old Akane clung to her father, gripping his sleeves with all the strength she could muster.

"She's very shy. She'll probably come around when we're settled at the mansion" he said, turning to lead the posse to his home. Her shyness held out. They didn't see the little girl's face at all until she peeked over her father's shoulder as the Kazekage carried her to bed.

"We've given the Uchihas the new guest cabin that was built on the grounds this fall" stated the Kazekage with as straight a face as he could muster. He did _not_ want a repeat of last time, especially since he was over-stressed with Kazekage duties as it was. With the children settled in bed (Gaara had agreed to allow the four Uchiha children to sleep in the mansion as long as they behaved), the adults settled into comfortable conversation.

"I hadn't met the youngest Uchiha until today. She seems..." Namika found herself at a loss for words.

"Different?" inquired Hinata, grinning. "Yes, she's much more like Sasuke than the others" she said, grin growing wider as she inclined her head toward her husband who was seated next to her with his arm around her.

"And she...won't be the youngest Uchiha for long" Hinata announced as Sasuke's grip tightened. _I know we trust all the people here but still..._

"Woah, number FIVE?" exclaimed Temari, ecstatic to share a window of pregnancy with her friend.

"Congratulations, Uchihas!" said Gaara, hoping this meant their nights would be quiet.

Sasuke spoke up and the tone turned a little more serious. "However, we are keeping this quiet as long as possible. As far as we know, Hinata is a target still" he said, noting the worried look that crossed the faces of the others.

She squeezed the hand that was situated on his arm. "I'm only eight or so weeks. Everything will be fine!" she said, sharing a glance with Sasuke.

"Have you told the other children yet?" inquired Namika.

"I only told Sasuke-kun last night. We're going to try and wait until I'm a little further along..."

"Try?" inquired Gaara. Hinata bit her lip. They really shouldn't talk about any of the children's possible abilities yet...

"Yua-chan is...has a penchant for sensing chakra" explained Temari. _I'm surprised she hasn't noticed already._

The rest of the conversation was more light-hearted and the couples retired fairly early. Sasuke held Hinata as she fell asleep. He trusted everyone who'd been in the room but found himself almost more apprehensive about this pregnancy than any previous one.

 _I'll die to protect her if I have to._

* * *

"Let's spar" suggested Shikamaru. Sasuke and Gaara all but jumped on the opportunity. _Being stuck indoors with pregnant women all day every day is suffocating._

The women smirked as their men left. "Some of the most powerful ninja in the world and they're still boys at heart" joked Namika as she held her napping daughter.

"Does it ever frustrate you that the men get all the reputation and we have to have babies and be seen as "soft" afterward?" asked Temari, carefully watching as Shinobu tackled Satomi who looked about as amused as her father did when Naruto did the same to him.

"Sometimes" admitted Namika. She was always "the Kazekage's wife" when she used to be "Namika of the Poison Mist"

"Not really" answered Hinata. "Having babies isn't really a weakness; it's something men cannot do. I worried a little when Sasuke and I decided to have so many: what people would think, if my personhood would drown underneath all the children, if the world would still see me as a talented ninja and respect me as threat."

Hinata paused. "But at the same time people shouldn't dictate my life or my clan's direction. I still go on missions and I still hone my skills and I still sharpen my kekkai genkai. The only difference is that I get to help raise the next generation and instill the loyalty, character, honor and skills into future ninja as well as help the man I love rebuild a clan."

Temari whistled. "I'd never thought about it that way before..."

Hinata smiled. "Mothering is a pleasure to me, after all. It isn't for everyone but I love it"

"I do too" agreed the other two almost simultaneously.

"Now, Namika-chan, when are you due?"

"In about three days, although I wouldn't be upset if this kid came a little early. The doctor said it's likely a large baby, unlike Akane-chan was, and I don't fancy pushing a 12lb baby out" she said bluntly, causing the others to laugh.

"Why ever not?" asked Temari, teasing her sister-in-law lightly.

They talked of their husbands and their marriage trials and their children and even a little about sex. They even brushed on the subject of Kankurou and his supposedly serious girlfriend. Temari scoffed, claiming he had a new "serious girlfriend" every three months.

"Sasuke seems more...protective of you than last time" Namika finally brought up. Hinata smiled at the comment.

"He's like that a lot when he knows I'm pregnant" she admitted, subconsciously touching her stomach.

"Yeah" Temari agreed "you should have seen him with the first one. He barely let her tackle a staircase by herself if he was around" said Temari, laughing.

"Yeah, I can't believe that's been almost five years ago now..." said Hinata wistfully. They would have to begin talking about the triplets starting at the academy in the cycle...

"Well, five year olds still need their moms" said Namika, grinning as Hiraku ran up to his mother so that she would kiss his elbow. He and the others had been playing and he had skidded in the sand.

"There, all better" assured Hinata.

* * *

Namika's labor finally started three days after her due date. The house was awoken in confusion at 4a.m. and the labor continued throughout the morning.

Both Temari and Hinata stayed at Namika's side while Gaara was in a meeting, which he rushed back from at 11a.m. to be by her side.

"She's still only at 8 centimeters" said Hinata. Thankfully, her water hadn't even broke yet so there was little risk for infection. She was a little concerned because this was taking a while for being a second baby...

Sasuke had stayed outside the room out of respect for Gaara; he never wanted another man to see Hinata naked either, even if she was in labor.

Akane had become very anxious from not seeing her mother and father for such a long time. Yua squeezed her little hand and said "everything will be fine. Mommies go away and come back with babies sometimes."

The little red head seemed to listen to her and relax a little more.

Meanwhile, in the bedchamber Namika was struggling with the labor more than her first.

Checking her, Hinata said: "You haven't progressed at all in the last two hours. Let's see if you can walk"

With Gaara's help, she walked around the room for a few minutes. Finally, her legs buckled. "I n-need to-"

Hinata checked her again. "Okay, push!"

Over the next hour she bore down and bore down. "Okay, the head's moving down. Keep it coming!"

"Okay Gaara" said Temari. "The head's coming out again, would you like to see?" she asked her brother. Namika released his hands and leaned against the windowsill.

"It's a big head" said Hinata. "Stop pushing and let yourself stretch for the next couple contractions"

Namika leaned further into the windowsill, biting her lip. "I-I cannnnn't!"

"Just a little longer" encouraged Hinata. Two more contractions passed. "Okay, push!"

Just three pushes later, the baby slid out into the world.

"It's a boy!" said Gaara, who had caught his son. "December 9th at 1:53pm is the birth time and date" added Hinata.

Then things happened in rapid succession: Hinata realized something was terribly wrong. Namika's breath grew shallow and she become incoherent.

Then the woman started to convulse violently.

"Gaara, here's the scissors. He's crying so he's okay; your son needs you right now. Go in the hallway" said Hinata, commanding the Kazekage for the only time in her life.

Temari led a visibly shaken Gaara in the hallway; the last thing he saw before the door shut was the former Hyuuga catching his wife and laying her on her side.

* * *

Well there you have it. It's a little shorter but I wanted to update. There'll be more action in the next chapter (I promise) as this one was more focused on their marriage but there have been deaths in my family recently so I may not have time for a little while. We are within 10 chapters of the finish, though! I'm just not sure how I want to split everything up!

Let me know if this was too concentrated on lemon or too sappy! Thanks!

-Pi-chan! :)


	29. Chapter 29

" _SASUKE-KUN!"_

He and Shikamaru were entertaining the children downstairs but the Uchiha left in a flash. Something in Hinata's tone made his heart race. His eyes met Gaara's, still commanding but obviously frightened, with a very healthy-lunged newborn in his arms. Sasuke knew the look instinctively. _Do whatever you have to._

* * *

When Temari rushed past him without a word, Gaara was visibly shaken. _Did she go for a body bag? A mortician? what?_

All he could do was sit on the windowsill, observing his newborn son. The little hair he had was obviously his mother's shade and so was the facial shape. _What am I going to do if I have to raise you alone?_

* * *

Four medical staff ninja flooded the Kazekage mansion, following quickly on Temari's heels. Nearly an hour passed with no word.

Shikamaru came up to sit with his brother-in-law and, upon seeing his new nephew, beamed. He gently placed a hand on the Kazekage's shoulder.

"Women are always this troublesome but they're tough. I mean, Temari-chan pushed a full baby out of her body and all I could do was faint and cause trouble for everyone!" he joked, although he had vowed to be of much more support this time around.

Just then, a machine was wheeled into the master bedroom.

Gaara gave a slight nod, just as his new son tested his aim and hit target right in the center of his Kazekage robe. Despite the tense moment, Shikamaru couldn't help but laugh.

"He hasn't even met Naruto yet and he's taking after him already!"

* * *

Finally, Temari exited the Kazekage's master bedroom.

"She'll be okay, Gaara. She's sedated and on a ventilator for a little while but you can go in and see her" Temari said, collapsing into Shikamaru's arms when she realized they were alone in the upstairs hallway.

The Nara man said nothing about her quiet sniffling but only held her tight, feeling her growing belly press into him gently.

* * *

As Sasuke explained that what had happened was extremely rare (even the Hokage herself had only seen a handful of cases) and was therefore not likely to happen again if they did have more children, Gaara was apprehensive.

His Namika now had a breathing tube inserted in her throat. "It's only for a little while because her body needs a little rest. But she's young and strong so she'll come out of it" assured Sasuke, now eyeing the newborn.

"May I?" inquired Sasuke. Normally he wouldn't ask because if someone tried to snatch one of his newborns from him, things would get ugly really quick.

Gaara handed him over. "He's a healthy boy at 8lbs and 9oz" Sasuke said, grinning as he diapered and wrapped the newborn before handing him back to his father.

The Kazekage blinked. "Won't he...need to eat?" he asked, almost a little sheepishly.

"Yes. Hinata can mix up some formula unless you know another pregnant woman that's far enough along to be producing breast milk. I'm afraid Temari is only a little over twelve weeks and Hinata is only a little over nine so it isn't likely that they will be able to help"

"Will it harm him to not start with breast feeding?"

Sasuke and Hinata explained to him the advantages and disadvantages, feeling a little odd at the content of conversation with their normally no-nonsense and stoic friend.

"I am indebted to you, Uchihas" bowed the Kazekage before going to call a nurse maid for the next few days.

Sasuke turned to his wife. "Without you, we couldn't have known where the blood clots were. You were calm and steady. I'm so proud to call you my wife" he stated, a little woodenly but it made her heart soar all the same.

* * *

After Namika awoke the next day, she and her husband spent some quiet time with their son before Gaara came downstairs to allow her to rest.

Akane had been somewhat neglected despite Temari's best efforts and hadn't been allowed to see her mother yet. She hadn't interacted with the other children much and seemed somewhat at a loss of how to do so. She came out of her shell a little in the ensuing time the Uchihas spent there that December, although Shinobu got scolded severely for accidentally tripping her. _Woah, Gaara's a little too protective...Shinobu is only 3..._

After Namika had rested a few days, their son "Kazuhiko, prince of the Village hidden in the Sand" was announced before the entire village just as his sister had been a year and a half earlier.

"We'll leave on Friday" Sasuke said. Hinata nodded, sorry to leave Temari behind most of all but excited to be in her own home again.

Their sex life had been somewhat quieter during this trip to Suna, having had the kids most nights (Temari was much moodier now that she was pregnant) and the other nights with Hinata having helped the Kazekage with his newborn. She wondered why the couple didn't use a wet nurse, as most regal couples did, but she assumed it was because Gaara didn't trust anyone outside his family or friends enough to leave his children with them unsupervised.

Sasuke took his spare energy out on Kankurou the day before their departure, pleased as the puppet master's fifth puppet clattered to the ground in pieces. He called for a halt.

"My brother-in-law doesn't lie. You really are a troublesome sparring partner; it's going to take me hours to repair him!"

Sasuke somewhat liked the Sand sibling he spent the least time around, although he thought the man could be a little more mature at his age. Shikamaru told him that he didn't even do his own laundry! (Of course, Shikamaru admitted that he hadn't either until after he and Temari got married). His attitude about women could also improve (again, Sasuke acknowledged that he really didn't think of treating women differently until marrying Hinata).

"But she's great. Shapely, doesn't talk much, and is a great cook..."

Sasuke zoned out at this part, preferring to think about the return trip. Shikamaru and Temari had chosen to stay in Suna another week and that left only him to protect his pregnant wife and their four kids. Now, Sasuke Uchiha had great confidence in himself. But he also knew that his growing love for Hinata and his children was becoming his greatest weakness. If their getting hurt or injured or kidnapped distracted him, if only for a moment, he could be gone in an instant. _Still, it's unlikely something will go wrong. Very few know that Hinata is pregnant again and both our names are well known enough that trying to attack both of us would take enormous stealth and skill._

He relaxed somewhat, preferring instead to initiate intimate play-time with his wife once he shut the door to their cabin on the grounds of the Kazekage estate.

Pink-cheeked, Hinata exclaimed "Sasuke!" as his whispers reached her ears.

"Daddy!" exclaimed Satomi, who ran to her father from around the corner of the kitchen. The two-year old pounced on his leg, gripping it tightly.

"Why aren't you napping?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Hinata.

"Someone "isn't tired" and "didn't want to nap without seeing daddy first" " quoted Hinata, a rare irritated tone ringing through her voice. Sasuke set the small child on the edge of the kitchen island, leaning to look into her eyes.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Satomi" he said sternly. Rather than crying, as Yua would likely have done, Satomi's eyes narrowed toward her father. _We're so much alike..._

"You know you're supposed to listen to your mother. I'll put you down for your nap now and you'll have to stay quiet an extra fifteen minutes after you wake up" he said, picking her up and carrying her upstairs.

"Why listen to mommy?" she asked, biting him on the shoulder. Sasuke resisted setting her back down roughly, sighing. _This kid's teenage years may do even me in. I hope the next one isn't another girl. I'm in over my head as it is..._

"Because she loves you and knows better than you do" he answered in a tone that didn't invite argument. She fell back on the bed as he shut the door, intending to set Hinata on the kitchen island as well, albeit for an entirely different reason.

* * *

They departed mid-morning after some morning sickness on Hinata's part and another fit thrown by Satomi over breakfast. The Kazekage provided food for their journey and, after hugging both Namika and Temari, Hinata turned to leave with her husband.

Though she was pregnant, they'd elected to travel partial ninja-style once Hinata had assured him that her chakra control was enough to handle tree jumping. _"We're lucky because in a few weeks I couldn't do this..._

Sasuke ended up carrying the girls and Hinata the boys. They broke past the treeline from the desert landscape at mid-afternoon on the second day. Kankurou had escorted them that far, wishing them well the rest of the way. They were soaring over the tree tops for only a few minutes when Sasuke's voice broke the steady silence.

"Hinata"

"I know" she replied. Veins pooled around her eyes, her bloodline limit activated. Hizashi peeked over his mother's shoulder, curious.

"Mama, why-"

"Shh, Hizashi" said Sasuke. The little boy's heart picked up. _Something's wrong..._

"Nine" she replied, showing no hint of the fear that was enveloping her. "Too close to have good intentions, about sixty yards"

Another bound. Things moved fast.

"Kids, I want you to listen to me. Do you remember when we play hide and seek and you have to be very quiet?"

Although Satomi had just started joining her siblings, she nodded along with the others. "Now is the time for you to be very quiet. Mom is going to put you somewhere and I want you to stay very still and very quiet until someone comes to get you, okay?"

They nodded, all four sensing that this wasn't the time for questions. "And don't come out for any reason, even if you see mommy or me. Unless you hear us say "horse" don't come out, okay?"

They nodded again. As soon as Hinata had all four in her arms, she quickly descended into the treeline. _In times like this, a hollowed out tree is the best place to hide_ Iruka sensei's voice echoed in her mind.

She found one quickly. _Not all of them will fit. Should she split them up?_

With her Byakugan, she finally found a small ditch underneath a bush that would fit them better. _It's low and pretty unnoticeable. I wouldn't even have seen it if not for my Byakugan. I hate to gamble that they don't have a sensor but..._

They quietly entered the ditch. She kissed them and strode a few feet away into the clearing. Seeing that Sasuke was already engaged in combat with six enemies, she searched for the other three. _They're coming for me._

Blood froze in her veins. _This is so close to the kids._ The last few seconds she observed Sasuke's fight, she realized that something wasn't quite right with his movements. Knowing Sasuke's protective instincts, he should've just activated the Sharingan and had it over with.

But she didn't have time to dwell on it. Her own enemies were headed straight for her. She concealed herself, waiting. _Approaching from the north together. 3 men._

She saw them before they sensed her. _Only Chuunin? Again? These guys are barely fourteen at the oldest!_

She hopped down, ready to engage for the kill. They turned toward her immediately, one seemed to be skilled in hand-to-hand combat and attacked first.

 _Th-their headbands! These are.._

Although he'd obviously trained hard, he was no match for a Hyuuga. Immobilized, the remaining two attempted a coordinated attack. She grinned.

"You're in range" she said, and they were quickly knocked out cold as well.

Hinata was worried. _This was too easy. WAY too easy. If someone wanted to annihilate the Uchiha clan they sure wasted an opportunity. Wait...if she'd defeated them this easily where was Sasuke?_

She searched quickly, finding him laying on the ground. Checking to see that the children were still undisturbed, she rushed to his aid.

Her approach stirred him and he automatically went into defensive mode.

"Sasuke, it's me"

"You sound like Hinata but I have no way of knowing that you are her" he replied. She got closer. He stumbled forward, visibly uncoordinated. She ran to catch him.

"I guess it doesn't matter if you are Hinata or not. I can't defeat you as I am now either way"

"Sasuke-kun, what happened?" she asked. He seemed fine but- _h-his eyes...they're..._

"I don't know. The moment I activated the Sharingan to end all of them as quickly as possible...my eye-sight just...was gone" he said. "And although I managed to fight them off anyway, my body has been weakening slowly ever since..."

"This is all so strange Sasuke-kun, what should we do?"

"There's only one reason to blind me, force you to fight and make you hide the kids. Wherever you'd hide them, it would have to be close and-"

 _It's a trap_ Hinata realized. _We've just fallen into-_ Just then, a glint of sun caught her eye; something was falling into the clearing just next to them. _Th-Those are-!"_

* * *

Shikamaru had had an uneventful day. He'd gotten to make love with his beautiful Temari-chan earlier this morning and then she and Namika had left for lunch at noon. Since he was still fond of cloud watching but not fond of sand getting in every crack on his body, he opted to stay on the balcony of their room. Granted, sand still flew through the air but some sand in the hair was better than a lot of sand everywhere else.

His eyes were skyward and he was just thinking about dozing off when he saw it. _That smoke column looks pretty far off. It must've been a pretty powerful explosion to be seen from here..._

Temari and Namika were just coming in the door. "Has your brother come back from escorting the Uchihas?" he asked and his frantic look startled both women.

"No, I don't think-"

He pulled them to the window. "If my calculations are correct, that's about the spot they'd hit right about now"

"Go get Gaara" said Temari immediately, seeing the smoke.

Shikamaru nodded, bounding out of the door. _I hope we're not too late._

* * *

Kankurou is not intensely complex like his siblings. He just likes puppets and women (not always in that order but sometimes).

So he is not prone to feel things deeply or give too much thought to what he does feel.

Even so, he turned his head back toward the forest where he had just left the Uchihas. _Something doesn't feel right._

He shook his head. He needed to get back and polish Karasu again after Sasuke's complete dismantlement of it the previous day.

He looked over his shoulder again as his legs kept springing forward, the wind whipping his ear flaps wildly.

 _Hmmmm..._

* * *

Woohoo! Also: I'm terrible at writing action scenes so I hope everything flowed smoothly (I can tell it's late because I totally almost just typed "smothed fluidlity").

Namika's condition is known as "Amniotic fluid embolism" and I tried to make it as realistic as possible without knowing anything at all about medical things. A shorter chapter but a wonderful cliffy ;)

-Pi-chan! :)


	30. Chapter 30

So I've been around 3,000-4,000 words a chapter but they'll be getting longer soon as we wind down. Is that okay or do you all prefer shorter chapters?

Also, some time ago a reviewer mentioned that I/this story am popular on Tumblr (did I dream that?) and I wondered what they meant because I don't do Tumblr. If someone could tell me, that'd be great.

Anyway, thanks! I hope this chapter is a nice addition! :)

* * *

Darkness. _What..._

Heat. _happened..._

Hinata's head bolted up. She was laying on top of an unconscious Sasuke, vaguely remembering having barely been able to move him before...

 _The kids!_

Fire engulfed the forest around them. Still a little groggy, she pulled Sasuke far enough way from the encroaching flames to give her a chance to go check on the children. Deep down, she knew there was no way they could've survived the blast unprotected. Even in the ditch, the flames would have reached them. _I don't seem to have been out but a few minutes_ she surmised from seeing the parts from the grenade. The fire hadn't spread too far from them yet.

Ignoring the wretched feeling in her stomach and the blood trickling down the side of her face, she rushed back into the woods.

She winced when activating her Byakugan. _Ow I must've hit my head pretty hard..._

Before reaching the area, she had to deactivate it as her head pulsed in pain. _Damn..._

Suddenly, in the midst of the blaze, she came upon what appeared to be an igloo made of a strange material. _Funny, the kids should be..._

The structure began to quake and seemed to dissolve.

"Hinata! It's one of my puppets! I barely made it but I think the children are okay!" he said. He himself had gotten blasted as he secured the puppet. _If I had been only a few seconds later..._

He jumped out of the tree top he was controlling the puppet from, landing next to her. He was a little wobbly from the shrapnel that had grazed the left side of his leg as he jumped away but other than that he was okay.

"HORSE" she shouted and four small heads popped up. "Mama? It got dark fast and we're scared and..." Yua started.

"It's okay. I'm here. Now come out. You're going to see a lot of fire but don't worry, okay?" she reassured. Once all four were out, Kankurou helped her move them away from the blaze.

"I'll help you back to Suna..."

"No" she said, pulling him away from the children who were still somewhat dazed. "Something is wrong with Sasuke" she whispered. "I left him about here..."she said, giving him instructions on how to find him.

"We're going to head back to Konoha. We need Tsunade-sama to look at him. Tell the others in Suna and send a hawk to Konoha;send escorts if you can. We'll be going slow so they'll probably be able to catch us."

"But I can't just leave you-"

"GO" she yelled.

He brought Sasuke back to her, still reluctant to leave her alone.

"I'll be fine as long as no more enemies come looking for us" she said, lifting Sasuke. _The adrenaline must be surging; he's not usually this light._

"M-Mama...what's...wrong with daddy?" asked Satomi, her small eyes widening in fear.

"He's just been knocked out. Once we get him to Hokage-sama, everything will be fine" _I hope_ she tacked on in her mind.

"And Kankurou. The ninja that attacked us had Sand headbands..." she mentioned, starting the trek toward Konoha. _We'll have to shoot for stealth and not speed. I just hope they're are no more enemy nins out here._

As they pressed on, she tried to think through this whole thing despite her headache. _Surely Gaara wouldn't have..._

* * *

"Yeah, so much for the Uchiha clan name!" boasted a Sand Chuunin. The pub in Suna was a popular place for ninja recently returned from missions. His teammates raised their glasses, the clink resounding throughout the establishment.

Most of the other ninja ignored them. _There's no way a bunch of Chuunin took down Uchiha Sasuke._

Suddenly, the door burst open. A very angry looking blonde woman stormed in, followed by a darker haired man with a Konoha headband.

"Hey, lady, you can't just-" the barkeep started. Temari's one look stopped him cold. _Sh-She's..._

"Word travels fast, boys" she shouted. Shikamaru sighed. If she weren't pregnant, the bar would be in ruins by now. _Troublesome._

"T-Temari-sama...you..." one of the Jounin in the room began.

"By order of the Kazekage, which of you ambushed the Uchiha clan in the forest?"

A beat of silence.

"SPEAK!" she yelled.

"Why do you want to know?" asked the blonde Chuunin who had just been boasting. Slowly, a group of them came forward. They couldn't ignore an order from the Kazekage.

The room moved. All the sand that had blown in from the street flew to the Chuunin who came forward, plastering them against the wall.

Temari grinned. "The Kazekage wants to speak with you...now"

* * *

Hinata pressed on until night fall when she knew the kids couldn't last any longer. Even though it was winter, she didn't want to build a fire and risk signalling potential enemies of their whereabouts. She found a hollow tree and, keeping a close watch on Sasuke's pulse which though faint was steady, huddled together with her four children.

It was the middle of winter and she estimated that it was about 30 degrees but at least there wasn't snow...yet.

Risking activating her Byakugan again, there didn't seem to be anyone within a mile but that was as far as her headache would allow her to see. It also seemed to be draining her strength quicker than usual. _Still, I should keep watch._

 _"_ Sleep children" she said, wrapping the blanket around them before stepping outside.

"But mom-"

"You'll need your strength for tomorrow" she said in a tone that would accept no argument. The wind was blowing fiercely and the trees were eerily moaning all around her. _Oh great, there's a storm coming..._

* * *

Kankurou stumbled back through the gates, having traveled at break-neck speed for nearly a day.

"Kankurou-sama, Gaara wishes to see you. He is just inside the gate expecting your arrival" _As expected of Gaara._

As Kankurou relayed what had happened, he mentioned that Sand ninja had been the ones to attack them.

"She was adamant, Gaara. But she had been struck on the head, so perhaps-"

Gaara's eyes fell, a mixture of sorrow and anger flashing briefly in his normally emotionless eyes. "No. It was our ninja. Temari will explain the situation to you. I am going myself to escort the Uchiha family back"

"B-But Kazekage-sama! You can't just leave-"

"They saved my wife's life and helped deliver my last two children. It's the least I can do. Plus, maybe I can prevent a war with Konoha as the Hokage will have to be talked down and explained to" was all he said before sand elevated him and he took off.

 _He's even travelling by his sand. S-surely he doesn't think there are more enemies...and war with Konoha? Tsunade's not that hot-headed...is she?_

* * *

"Mommy, someone who feels brown is coming" Yua cried from inside the hollow tree.

Hinata sprang up, preparing for battle. The rain was still light but it was freezing, slashing harshly against her face and the wind was whipping her hair about wildly. A flash of lightening. Her headache had subsided somewhat and she hoped she didn't have a concussion. She tried to activate the Byakugan again but pain seared through her head.

Even when she saw it was the Kazekage, as no one else could command sand as he could, her stance didn't change.

"I know this looks bad on Suna's behalf but please don't let this incident start an all our war between two close allies" he said, his anger and annoyance clear.

Hinata's eyes flashed. "This _incident_ has involved me entire family-"

"I'll explain everything when we arrive in Konoha. You'll tire much less easily and get Sasuke there faster if you ride on my sand" he continued. "You made good time yesterday and we're within a day's travel of Konoha. We could be there tomorrow night and without knowing what is wrong with Sasuke, time is of the essence"

She didn't like this. He was right but if they rode on his sand, his encasing them in it would be a piece of cake. She thought about Sasuke inside, her children's lives.

Out of nowhere, what seemed like lightening streaked through the clearing. Gaara's sand barely deflected the attack, though the Kazekage was pushed back several yards.

"WHAT THE HELL, GAARA?!" screamed what seemed to be a tiny Kyuubi fox. He couldn't believe that Gaara could've done this but the report said...

"I'm glad you're here, Naruto" he said, ignoring the question. "Hinata-san was not going to accept my offer of escort and time is incredibly important. Now that Naruto is here, Hinata, will you let us both escort you?"

"US TOO!" shouted a voice from above. _It seems Kiba and Shino came as well._

A deep bark affirmed the Kazekage's suspicions. "Very well, then. This woman needs her rest. I suggest we all bunker down in the storm and try to leave as soon as it blows over"

"I'll take first watch" offered Shino. The others agreed and the children, who were still awake because of the commotion, squealed as Akamaru cuddled up to them to keep them warm. Hinata said nothing about her pregnancy to the males but at least she could sleep now. She found a spot next to her still unconscious husband and was out cold in the blink of an eye.

Naruto eyed his longtime friend with suspicion.

"You must still care for her if you're even questioning my alliance with Konoha. You know that if this attack were under my orders I would be risking all out war. The last one is barely 6 years passed..."

Naruto closed his eyes, sighing. "I do care for her. More than I ought, I know. I don't want to believe you did this, Gaara. But right now it sure looks bad"

"Believe me, I know. I have already mostly figured out which of my chuunin attacked. They will be en route to Konoha tomorrow morning"

Naruto's eyebrow quirked. Gaara smiled. "Maybe Ibiki can help clear Suna's name" he responded. Naruto's eyes widened. _He's serious if he's dragging Ibiki into this._

"Wait a minute, Chuunin? _Chuunin_ took Sasuke down?" asked Naruto in disbelief.

"It appears so, though I doubt it was without immense aid from a yet unknown player. I have a feeling he was already severely weakened somehow; Kankurou tells me he was nearly unconscious and very uncoordinated when Hinata found him after they were separated"

Naruto clutched his head. _This is dangerous. This attack was so close..._ His eyes drifted to the kids. Unused to sleeping outside like ninja yet, they were all still wide awake though their eyes were heavy.

"Do you know why someone would be targeting the Uchiha family? This is not the first attempt on them since they married" said Naruto, his voice was weary for his friends. _Just let them alone..._

"Other than the powerful trajectory their offspring will likely take as ninja? No, I do not. Unless there's some old rival or vengeance against the clan from before the massacre but that seems unlikely..."

"Well, we need to figure it out soon. Especially if the same person has been behind all these separate events...they're damned good at hiding" he said, recalling the incident at the Uchiha mansion and the attack when Hinata was pregnant with the triplets.

Gaara's brow creased. "I haven't heard anything about vendettas in Suna toward the Uchihas but I'll keep my ears more attentive now. Whoever it is isn't playing, has a lot of resources and even more worrisome is that he or she knows how to use them well. And they're persistent, if this has been ongoing for years now as you say"

"The first attack happened during Hinata's first pregnancy. There were...some Chuunin that time I think as well. We all thought it was so strange. Hokage-sama looked and looked through their bodies and the ninja records and even sent spies into other countries for a few months and nothing suspicious came back..."

"Have you asked Shikamaru about it?" asked Gaara, watching as the the last kid's eyes finally shut in slumber. He thought a lot of his brother-in-law's intellect. He inclined his head, listening;the storm seemed to be picking up steam outside.

"Yes. He said he still needs some time to think through the details"

Naruto inquired about Gaara's new child and was amused as his friend's eyes lit up, describing his new son and his name. The blonde drifted off not too long after that but Gaara stayed awake, as was his habit, pondering the situation with the Uchihas and how to face the Hokage.

* * *

The storm didn't abate until mid-morning and the still sleeping children were loaded onto Kiba, Naruto, and Shino carried two. Because of the baby inside her, Hinata agreed to be carried next to her husband on Gaara's sand.

They were quite a sight, stumbling through the front gate just after dusk. Sasuke was rushed to the hospital immediately and the Hokage followed, along with Sakura, as soon as she got all the details she needed from Hinata.

She and the children made their way there a little more slowly, checking in and awaiting the Hokage. Thankfully, a spare room awaited them and the children fell asleep again almost instantly. Hinata paced, unable to sleep.

Near midnight, the Hokage finally came to the room, knocking quietly. Hinata met her, stepping just outside the door.

"He's alive and stable" Hinata felt her very core de-constrict.

But the food you all ate must have been spiked with an undetermined substance. Everything probably felt fine until you tried to use even medium-sized amounts of chakra, like with the Byakugan or when he activated the Sharingan. Then the substance would've reacted and severely weakened its victim"

She sighed. "But the only food we ate was from-"

"The Kazekage household. I know, Hinata. But that's the only way you and Sasuke could've ingested enough for it to be this bad. I think the only reason you're still awake is because you didn't try to pull as much chakra all at once like he did. You said your head hurts when you try to use the Byakugan, correct?"

She nodded. "You'll have to stay in the hospital until Sakura and I can come up with a counter. It will be a complex one so it may take us a few days but I think we'll be able to reverse most of its effects"

Hinata nearly wept in relief. "But...you should know...Sasuke may not be himself physically for quite some time. We aren't sure how extensive the damage is yet and I think we caught it quickly enough that it won't be permanent but...it could be quite a while" she said, turning as her fists clenched.

"Do you think Gaara is behind this?" she asked. She really didn't want another war, not now. But she couldn't just ignore what had happened...

"No, I don't Hokage-sama, after all Kankurou would surely have been in on it and he rescued the children" she responded. "He's told you that Ibiki can interrogate the Chuunin that are coming from Suna?"

Tsunade nodded. "Still, we don't know if he's caught the right ones..."

"Ibiki can surely tell us that" smiled Hinata. Tsunade supposed she was right.

"Your family will be notified of your arrival in the morning. I will probably release you for Christmas but Sasuke's stay with us could be of some duration, depending on how well his body handles the medicine and on how well his pride handles his temporary weakness.

She nodded, wearily turning around. "We'll figure it out, Hinata" _oh yeah_

 _"_ Hokage-sama" she whispered. "I-I should tell you that I'm pregnant again, almost 10 weeks"

The blonde woman touched her shoulder. "I'll check you out first thing in the morning, unless it'll give you more peace now" she said.

"Just...with everything that's happened..."

The blonde nodded. "Very well, let's see"

It was late and very few people were wandering the halls so the Hokage quickly lifted Hinata's shirt, seeing a familiar bump on her stomach.

"Everything feels fine, Hinata. But I'll give you a proper check tomorrow, okay?"

The Uchiha matriarch nodded, hoping the kids would sleep late as she left the Hokage to settle in bed. _The next few months are going to be rough._

* * *

A tawny hand reached down to cup the face of the petite, voluptuous dark-haired woman. A thumb stroked her cheek as she was brought from kneeling and giving her report.

"You did well, my mistress" she was praised softly before her lips were captured with her master's. She would've been thrust into the wall right there if there weren't several people about.

"Here's some money. Go find a room in one of the empty wings of my mansion and wait for me there. It'll only be about thirty minutes"

She obeyed perfectly, as she'd slowly been trained and coaxed to do over the past three years. _One step closer. My patience is almost ready to pay off._

* * *

Sooooo there it is. What do you think?

-Pi-chan :)


	31. Chapter 31

Heads up: the reception scene in this one takes place in like an outer courtyard with the Hyuuga mansion surrounding it. Yeah, I know it's January but Konoha seems to always be mild? Just go with it.

Also: sorry for the delay. Life gets crazy. I'm going to try to take longer strides (shooting for 6,000+ a chapter after this one) though and wrap this up (yes, my other stories too for those of you who are asking!). Thanks for all the support!

* * *

Sasuke didn't have to wake up to know what had happened. His life was gone. _Again._

In the fogginess of his unconsciousness, he broke down. His clan gone. _Again._

Despair overtook him. All his-their-rebuilding ruined. Maybe the Uchihas were just destined to be wiped off the face of the Earth.

 _Was he this weak? Too weak to protect even his own children?_

It was better that they die than have a father so weak.

He didn't want to wake up and acknowledge what happened. He couldn't bear another clan massacre, the remains of his four children buried in cold graves... _or maybe there were no remains at all..._

 _hot. heat. Was there a fire?..._

Outside, an entire week passed without his stirring. On the fourth day, Tsunade and Sakura had finally prepared an eighteen-step antidote to the complex poison. It had taken both of them, along with the Nara clan's medical journals. Hinata's father and sister had been away in Mountain country visiting Shun's family and his home in preparation for upcoming nuptials but were notified at the gate three days after Hinata's entrance into the hospital.

Antidote admistered, Hinata felt more or less like herself three days later and Tsunade made sure the children were clear too.

"The pregnancy still appears to be going well, Hinata. You're on schedule for 10 weeks"

Hinata was only half relieved and she knew the other half wouldn't come until her husband woke.

The thoroughly terrified Chuunin had been brought before Ibiki with Tsunade and Gaara watching from behind a two-way window.

"This is grievous, Hokage-sama. I am ashamed that such a thing happened while they were under my care and that such a vile order was carried out without my approval"

Gaara had gotten to them first, asking if they realized that they could have started a war with Konoha.

All nine trembled as Ibiki approached them with Ino assisting him in her father's place. Just his name was enough to horrify them.

Within three hours, he had a composite picture of what had transpired. The door clicked and his expression was grim.

"I'm afraid their intent wasn't malicious; they're just fools. A dark-haired woman whom they had seen with your brother, Kazekage-sama, approached them with documents carrying your official seal, ordering an attack upon the Uchiha clan as they traveled back to Konoha"

Tsunade's shock was hard to hide but Ibiki continued

"However, Ino seemed to think something was amiss. The seal was red and held two suns with the symbol for "wind" on it"

Gaara stroked his chin. "That _was_ my seal. But it's outdated. I started using yellow wax recently, with a single sun and the symbol for "unity" in the middle with the intention of differentiating myself from the old ways"

Tsunade nodded, having seen the new seal on documents during the Chuunin exams. The Kazekage sighed. "You say they didn't notice this discrepancy?"

"No sir, only two of the nine actually saw the document. The others were just rounded up to join in on the glory of bringing down Uchiha Sasuke, quite hastily I might add. It seems whoever she was had been around long enough to know which ninja were hot-headed enough to do something like this on such short notice..."

Rage concealed, the Kazekage made a mental note to increase detail-oriented training tenfold.

"You say a dark-haired woman did this?"

"Yes, Ino-san saw her clearly"

"Tsunade-sama, I think I may know how this happened but let me consult with my brother about a few matters"

The blonde looked apprehensive.

"I will consider my imbecilic excuses for ninja in there as collateral if I do start war"

Tsuande scoffed but waved her hand. "Very well"

* * *

Hinata lay by Sasuke, willing him to awaken. She spent most of her early afternoons snuggled next to him while the children napped, though more fretfully than before. She ached for his eyes his eyes to flutter and to hear his voice. The rest of her time was spent reassuring the children, who were quite shaken in some ways still. It had been their first experience with violence, after all. Surprisingly, the most helpful persons had been Naruto's daughters, who comforted her four children because they had scary memories aplenty.

"Sasuke-kun. If you can hear me, I'd like you to come back and grow old with me..." she whispered, nuzzling his ear. She'd whispered similar things most of the week to no avail.

Finally, eight days after their arrival and four days after the antidote had been administered, he became responsive.

Hinata was away tucking the children into bed when it happened. Tsunade slipped in as she was reading a book to the triplets, motioning her to the door.

"He woke up two hours ago but I did not come get you until he was coherant. He's still easing out of it but I thought you might want to know"

She nodded, told the children to go to sleep and slid out of the door. Falling on the end of his bed, she wept.

His voice was hoarse but she recognized the one she knew so well. "I would reach out and comfort you, but I cannot"

His eyes were bandaged still. She grabbed his hand. "It's me, Sasuke"

"I know. Your chakra is familiar to me. Tsuande wouldn't tell me anything about the children"

He hesitated. "Are...are they-"

"All of us are fine, my love" she responded. "Including this one here" she said, gently placing his palm on her tummy.

His bandages grew wet. "I-I thought for sure..."

"No. There wasn't another massacre, my darling. We're all fine"

"I'm...so sorry, Hinata. That I haven't been there to hold you through this. That you've had to face this alone-"

She cupped his face. "Sasuke, I'm okay. We're okay. I'll bring the children in to see you when you're a little more healed. We're alive and that's all that matters"

She let the relief wash over him for several minutes.

"Do...do you know why I can't take the eye bandages off?"

Maybe the drug was still affecting his filter, as he was being much more candid that usual.

She inhaled. "Because you're blind"

Tension filled the room. "But Sasuke, it's okay"

A beat of silence. "OKAY?! It's NOT okay! Sight in the Uchiha clan is everything! If I can't use my Sharingan, what use am I to the clan? Who will teach the kids how to wield it? What kind of husband...what kind of father..."

She held his head, hushing him. "You didn't let me finish. Tsunade-sama is sure that it's temporary but it may take a while for it to wear off, okay? And if you try to rush it you will only make it worse"

He calmed somewhat. "And just so you know, being blind doesn't make me love you less or lessen my gladness at being your wife"

He was stunned. His worth had been tied to his eyes for so long...

Hinata explained to him the situation, including how they'd been poisoned. She noticed him nodding off and pecked his lips before departing.

 _Even if he's not quite himself, at least he's awake._

* * *

Healing came slowly over the next days. To everyone's surprise, Sasuke was compliant and didn't really leave his bed until two days after he woke.

Hinata hadn't seen his old attitude shine through and was worried his confidence was gone for good. He would talk to her but his voice was empty. He walked for the first time (mostly leaning on her) twelve days after they arrived. Great concern entered Hinata's heart. He was so shaky and it felt like he didn't even want to try.

The day before Hanabi's wedding, he finally cracked as she came by to practice walking with him as had become their afternoon routine.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, head downcast.

"Did Tsunade-sama tell you that she's going to take your eye-bandages off the day after tomorrow and check their progress?"

"What's the point? I'm never going to be back to full strength anyway. Hinata-chan, you've witnessed how I can barely walk to the window myself! The great Sasuke Uchiha indeed! I-"

She grabbed his chin firmly. "Sasuke-kun. I don't believe you will ever be as strong as you were but I think, as do the children and the Hokage, that you can be stronger. Even in the unlikely event that doesn't happen, you'll still be loved and accepted by me as my husband, by the children as their father, and by the village as a valuable person. Or you can sit here and let nine CHUUNIN say they got the best of you for the rest of your life. Keep it up, and I'll call Naruto in here to pummel you myself"

Her exasperation surprised her, as did her speech. She let a small, frustrated scream out and left the room.

When she returned later a few hours later, Sasuke was leaning by the window. She ran to him, worried. His smile stopped her.

"Have I ever told you how glad I am that you're Mrs. Uchiha?"

He reached out to hold her waist, missing by a few inches. But she slid into his reach easily. "Yes, but not recently. I'm glad to see you walking, Sasuke"

She had to help him back to bed and be contented with the easiness between them returning somewhat.

* * *

Hinata dragged Hanabi out shopping the night before her wedding.

"Hinata-neechan!" complained the bride. "I need to be sleeping if I have to be up at 5a.m. to go through all the Hyuuga traditional-"

"Oh, it's only 8. Plus, I _know_ you'll thank me later! With all the upset I haven't been able to be as attentive to you as I had planned" she said, winking.

Hanabi blushed later, as her sister pulled out several lacy garments.

"N-nee-chan...surely I don't need those!" she said, turning to flee.

"Hanabi, don't be embarrassed. I know you have questions about intimacy and, unless you want to ask father, this is an opportune time" she whispered sharply. The younger one slowly turned around.

"Okay...but he's nothing like Uchiha..." she said, slight disgust still entering her voice.

She sighed, wishing her sister would finally warm up to her husband. "No, but Shun-san will want to be intimate with you tomorrow night"

Hinata was enjoying not having the deepest blush for once.

"O-okay..."

Their talk was long and Hanabi was surprised with Hinata's frankness about her and Sasuke's intimacy. Hanabi could sense there was more to tell but she also didn't really care to know everything. Hinata delighted in giggling as her sister gasped when she said something she liked that Sasuke did.

"Nee-chan! That's...gross..."

"I wouldn't call it that, Hanabi-chan" she replied, grinning. "You'll learn what each other likes too, don't worry. You're also the only one that knows that, as I am very tight-lipped about our intimate life" she said, holding her sister's gaze to ensure the secret was safe.

"I would never like something like that!" exclaimed the younger, whipping around to enter the mansion ahead of her sister. She'd kept her out until 10 30. _Is this really my older sister?_

"Don't forget these, Hanabi-chan!" said Hinata a little loudly for Hanabi's taste. The young girl turned around, grabbed the bag with the three pieces of lingerie, and bolted to her room.

* * *

Sasuke was immensely frustrated that Hinata would have to attend the Hyuuga wedding without him.

"What a wasted opportunity!" he growled. He could see a little grey now instead of pitch black but still had bandaged eyes.

"Have a little more confidence in me, Sasuke-kun" chirped Hinata. Despite everything going on, she was determined to be cheerful on her sister's wedding day.

"I'd just rather not have the head of the Uchiha-clan disgraced by being too weak to-"

She turned around in her light purple bridesmaid dress after putting her pearl stud earrings in place. Just at 12 weeks, her stomach was barely a bump yet so the comely shape the knee-length dress produced was stunning, especially given the color nearly matched Hinata's eyes.

"I'm going to be a little chilly" she said. At least it was mild for January. And she had a white fur coverlet she could wear.

One thing that had gotten to Sasuke more than Hinata realized was his inability to see _her._

"Let me feel you in the dress"

Her giggle made him grin. "Okay, but you must not mess it up, or I'll be late" she said, eyeing the clock that said it was nearly time for her to be at the mansion.

His lips twitched as he heard the "click-clack" of her heels before they stood by his bed. He felt her smaller hands grab his, smelled the two light spritzes of perfume he had heard her put on before putting on her earrings. _Interesting. I've never noticed stuff this closely before._

She led his hands to her waist, where she knew he liked to hold her. His hands skimmed down her curves, pressing lightly on the slight bump.

"It's a light purple, right?" he asked, remembering her order it. "Yes"

His head leaned into her, nuzzling her stomach. "You're likely the hottest pregnant woman ever, you realize that right? I am...worried about not being able to escort you...properly" he said, tilting his head up to her instinctively.

She kissed his forehead. "Don't worry. Many of the guys will be there and Shun's best man will be with me most of the time, as will father and Kakashi, Shino, and Kiba are all on guard duty. Plus, I still have two or three weeks before it would be dangerous for me to try and control my chakra abilities" she reminded, caressing his face.

His hands squeezed her waist before she walked away.

* * *

The ceremony went well.

Had Hinata known the thoughts that went through the minds of several of the noblemen, she would have been angry and stunned. _Too bad she's taken._

She monopolized many of these noblemen during the reception, as such times had proven in the past to be opportune. Perhaps not quite with the confidence of her husband, but she maneuvered through and steered financial as well as political conversation with grace, ease, and cunning that Sasuke would have been proud of if he'd been there to overhear.

"Is your husband mending well, Hinata-san?"

"Yes, splendidly. We didn't get to be home for the holidays this year but we hope the bi-annual ball later this year will more than make up for it!" she said, distracting talk from Sasuke's condition.

"I heard that he's gone blind and is on life support. Is that true?"

"Oh, goodness no! I just spoke to him this morning! He's not in attendance because the Hokage wouldn't allow it, you know, and he feels alright to be up and about but it's better to be safe than sorry!" the businessman nodded with sympathy. Hinata pretended not to notice as his eyes traveled down her length.

"Hinata! How wonderful to see you here! Could I speak with you, for a moment?" the familiar voice said as an arm came around Hinata's shoulders.

"Certainly, Kakashi-san" replied Hinata, watching the business man turn white at the name.

"Thank you" she whispered when they were out of range.

"Sasuke would do the same if you were my wife. Now, I should tell you that your children have become a bit much for the nursery workers, perhaps"

She'd only brought Yua and Satomi with her, the boys having no wish to be a part of the wedding. "Oh dear" she said, seeing what he meant. Yua was atop one's shoulders, with her hands over her eyes and was squealing rather than falling off in a "bring-it-on" attitude. _You don't spin nearly as fast as daddy does._

Satomi had, at almost 3 and a little tall for her age, two older children cornered in a dangerous looking game of tag.

The cornered ones looked relieved as the dark-haired threat was swept into her mother's arms and Yua came obediently when her mother called.

"Alright, I think you can stay with me now but you have to be quiet and on your best behavior. Remember that we agreed on this before I brought you to the wedding" she said, her look saying that this was no time to disobey.

There was a loud clearing of a throat, intended to grab the attention of all those in attendance.

Surprisingly, it was Tsunade-sama.

"Welcome to Konoha, and I hope you have all enjoyed the new ties of both prosperous countries!" she said, cheers following.

"I promise not to take away much attention from them but, as the bride and her father have given me special permission to speak, and I thought it would be advantageous to do so while so many dignitaries are here, I would like to announce my retirement as Hokage of Konoha to devote more time to the hospital and to my medical research"

Several heads whipped around to the blonde head, standing near the stage with Shikamaru and Temari.

"And announce my successor: Hatake Kakashi, also known as The Copy Ninja!" she exclaimed, and the man took his place on stage.

Looking confident and actually interested, he started:

"we are several years removed from the Fourth Shinobi War and the clean up of Fire country has gone splendidly under the watchful eye of Tsunade-sama. However, its ripples will be felt for many years to come and I am stepping into this position only to begin the careful steering and work to take the Ninja world down the path to unity, however I can. I swear from this day forth to protect Konoha with my life if necessary, instill the Will of Fire into younger generations, and work toward peace. My inauguation will be, for the convenience of the travelers, the Wednesday of this week at noon"

He let this information and speech settle over the crowd. To many's surprise, Naruto didn't look the least disappointed.

"It's alright. It'll give me a few more years to grow and raise my four up a little bit before being swept off to Hokage duties. Don't think for a second I have given up my dream" he whispered to his table as he winked, causing them to nod in understanding and grin. _Of course not._

Yua had become increasingly agitated during this speech, squirming about nearly violently in her mother's arms.

"Yua, hold still" her mother finally said, trying to listen to her father's speech.

"But mom, I feel someone really black here!" she whispered back.

Noticing Yua's discomfort, Naruto quietly wove through the crowd toward them, noting Kakashi was not near enough to protect Hinata should something happen.

Meanwhile, Ino had been hardly able to keep from staring at one of the servant girls who was helping with refreshments. Hanae kept gurgling loudly and the third time Ino turned back to see the girl again, she had disappeared.

Following Hiashi's speech, there was a minute or two of silence before Shun's father made a short speech as well, smoothing his collar as he stepped up to the platform.

As he turned to walk off the platform and the bride and groom stood to dance the first dance, a blood-curdling screamed issued from the right side of the mansion.

Chaos began at once. Naruto made several clones, sending a few to investigate and to direct and corral the herd of people (for those of nobility didn't handle nasty surprises well). His true self stayed with Hinata, though, and they quietly made their way to a quieter place in the mansion. Shun's mother fainted. Hanabi and Shun's hands squeezed together. Shino, Kiba, Tsunade, and Kakashi all flew over the guests to investigate.

Another scream followed but was cut off, seemingly by the investigating team of ninja not wanting anymore upset than necessary. A cold silence followed.

A four-month pregnant Temari joined Naruto and Hinata, along with the girls, in the room.

"What a time for something to happen" sighed Naruto. He amused himself by distracting the girls while Temari and Hinata talked.

A servant came for Hinata several minutes later.

"Hinata-sama, your father requests your presence in his office at once" he said. Leaving Temari and Naruto with the girls, she followed immediately.

* * *

Seeing her sister and Shun already within, she shut the door and embraced her sister.

"I'm so sorry something like this had to happen. The day was so beautiful but nearly as beautiful as you, Hanabi-chan" she whispered, a little tearful over seeing her sister dressed in the traditional wedding kimono.

"That's alright. I didn't really want to be the center of attention during the dance anyway" Hanabi shrugged.

Hiashi allowed them this moment before sighing.

"I'm afraid, Shun, that one of your mother's handmaidens has been found murdered. Another one found her and that is what produced the scream. Tsunade is forbidding that this information get out until everyone is interrogated. Ibiki and ANBU are on its way; it's too perfect for this to have happened during this wedding. I don't know how this is tied to whatever else has been stirring these past years, but it most certainly is"

"Oh dear..." was all Hinata could say.

"The body will be taken and examined by Tsunade herself. That is all I had to say. Hanabi, you and Shun are to be questioned first so that you may still leave for your honeymoon on time. Take extra caution, Hanabi" warned her father, worried about letting her go at all.

"We aren't going far, father" was her only response, plastering a facade over her face the best she could at her father's mentioning her honeymoon.

"Hinata, as you've been targeted recently, I would like to keep you and the children here until Sasuke's health is restored. You all may stay in the cabin you used to before the Uchiha mansion was built" he said, briefly glancing at his eldest's stomach.

"Thank you, father"

He stood to briefly embrace both his girls and then clap Shun on the shoulder. "Welcome to the family. It's good to have your support during these trying times"

* * *

Hinata was excused pretty quickly, having been in plain view most of the ceremony and reception. As she left, Ino slipped in and demanded to talk to Ibiki in private. Hinata wondered but was distracted as Yua ran up to her.

"Mama, the bad feeling..."

"Shhhh, Yua-chan. We'll talk about it later"

She crossed her arms in frustration but obeyed.

After seeing her sister off with a wink and a blush, settling her daughters in the Main House with her father, Shikamaru, Temari, Kiba, and Shino escorted Hinata to the hospital.

Her escorts were startled to hear quiet weeping as they entered Sasuke's room. Hinata, kicking off the heels she had left on in her absent-minded hurry, flew to the bed.

"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong?"

The others wisely and silently backed out of the room, waiting outside the door for the all-clear.

"H-Hinata?"

"Yes, who else on earth would it be?"

"I heard the nurses talking and they said a woman had been killed and-and all I could do was sit here. I tried to go down the hall but-"

"Shhhhh. Yes, one of the servant girls was found with her throat slit open to the point she was almost beheaded. But it wasn't me. Sasuke, it's okay"

He quieted, embarrassed by his assumption.

"I'm sorry but with everything that's happened..."

She held him, his head digging into her shoulder. She could tell he was tired, as he had been going to bed at 8 and it was already nearly 9:30.

They discussed what Yua had felt and Sasuke agreed that she should pull the Hokage and Ibiki aside. They had kept their daughter's knack under wraps as long as they could and now it might help figure out whatever was going on. She also mentioned that she and the children would be staying within Hyuuga grounds, which both calmed Sasuke and agitated him. _They got around the Hyuuga schedule last time_ he thought, but his brain was foggy with sleepiness.

She tucked him in and, while he felt childish, he enjoyed it and was asleep in a minutes. _It's going to take his body a long time to recover stamina._

She exited, nodding to the others. No one had been in to see Sasuke yet except herself and Tsunade-sama.

Despite the happiness over her sister's wedding, Hinata didn't like the heaviness on her heart. _It's going to be a long year._

* * *

"So what you're saying is that this dark-haired woman pretended to be your brother's girlfriend in order to gain a way into attacking the Uchiha clan, three to four months in advance of their visit? That's quite a shot in the dark..."

Not appreciating the lack of faith, the Kazekage shot back "I've presented you with the evidence, including the seals. You also know that I bear no ill will toward Konoha"

The tension in the air increased as the two leaders eyed one another. Tsunade stood in front of her desk with Kakashi at her right, as he needed to be aware of the goings on before becoming Hokage. Naruto, Kankurou, and the Kazekage were also present with Shikamaru and Temari leaning against the door.

"Very well. Ibiki has been thorough and I don't suspect you of anything, Kazekage" she said, waving her hand. A huge sigh rippled throughout the occupants of the room.

"But we do need to figure out what's going on. Are they targeting the Hyuuga or the Uchiha? What's their motivation? What's their aim?" said Naruto, in an unusually methodical manner.

"Yes. It's been years and I'm damn tired of chasing this whoever all over the ninja world" said Tsunade. "But the search into the original robbers came up empty, even after months of searching in different countries. Their bodies held no relevant secrets. And despite being in a household full of Byakugan users, no one seems to have seen anything"

"I want both households to be able to be at peace. The aftermath of the war is finally healing and slowing here in Konoha and across Fire country, more quickly than the other nations. But they aren't at ease and Sasuke, once he's healed, will never be able to be less tense while this remains a mystery"

"Who could be so patient as to wait this long? Most adversaries would have given up long ago, even to take down the Uchiha clan. Whoever it is must have a lot of time on their hands."

"And they have to have insider knowledge of Konoha. There's no other way they would've known the location of the Uchiha master bedroom all those years ago or the schedule of the Hyuuga mansion or the most likely route of escape, if they needed it" added Shikamaru, finally speaking into the conversation.

"And it's got to be someone with an incredible range of medical knowledge. I've never encountered a poison like the one used on Sasuke. The moment he tried to pull chakra en masse, it reacted and poisoned the walls of the chakra channels themselves, which is why it's taking so long to heal. It was also tasteless and odorless. That would take at least three years to concoct and test out, let alone make enough to poison an entire family" stated the Hokage. To make such a substance...

The room shuddered.

"Oi. Sasuke's going to be alright...isn't he?"

The Hokage sighed. "It's good that Gaara got to them so quickly and got them here so fast. And riding on his sand, there was a lot less movement so the poison probably didn't seep in as deeply as it could have. Sasuke has quite the road of recovery before him and everyone would do well to help him out. I expect him to be in the hospital a minimum of two more weeks but I expect it will be at least a month"

Kakashi whistled. "That's a long time to be out of commission"

"Yes, but as I said I don't think the walls of his chakra channels have suffered permanent damage. The most worrisome thing is going to be his pride. You all haven't seen him and I say this in total confidence that you all won't say anything but...I didn't know Sasuke Uchiha could be shattered like he is. He blames himself for not being cautious enough, and I'm very worried the extremes he will go to now" confided the Hokage.

"Don't worry about Sasuke, baa-chan" said Naruto. "I'll go cheer him up"

"Hinata has requested that we leave him alone for another week. She's the best help he's got right now. Then Shikamaru, Naruto and Kakashi may come visit him between 11am and 6pm for two weeks and then we'll reevaluate where he is"

Everyone nodded in understanding. "Hinata's the last thing I want to inform you all about and she's given me complete leave to do so, as you all have long been the "inner circle" throughout all that's happened. She will inform Kiba and Shino on her own. I doubt you could tell at the wedding but Hinata is about 12 weeks along with their 5th child. As of now, the baby seems to have not been harmed by her ingesting poison and Hinata has two or three weeks before she'll be vulnerable"

"Wow. Five..." muttered Naruto. _She didn't even look it..._ he stopped his mind before recalling her in the light purple, shapely dress.

"She will be staying at the Hyuuga mansion until Sasuke's health and skill are restored. My estimation for that is about July or August. As far as sparring, go easy at the beginning. Don't force him into using high-level Sharingan. Kakashi will also be coordinating a schedule of pairs of guards to watch Hinata's cabin in shifts. Thankfully, the missions have slowed down and this load will not be as burdensome as in the past. And, hopefully, will soon no longer be needed. That's all. Dismissed."

Realizing this could be her last order to them as Hokage, they all bowed and thanked her for her time as their leader. Naruto even got a little misty-eyed.

"To see you all alive and growing is thanks enough" she said, warmly coming around to each person.

"Now leave, we've got a lot ahead of us with this situation. Kakashi, you stay. There's a few things we should discuss before your inauguration"

* * *

Temari and Shikamaru strolled home, Temari rubbing her growing belly subconciously with Shikamaru's arm around her shoulder as she processed about the events at Hanabi's wedding three days ago.

"Shikamaru, do you have any guesses as who to catch who it is?"

Her husband inhaled. He'd been hoping for intimacy tonight...

Whispering, he said: "I'm working on it but as it has taken our unknown suspect time so it will take me time. I will try my best not to be too late"

She whispered back and he grinned, pushing away all the worry and grime of the last days in knowing that his desires would be fulfilled.

* * *

Okay. Finally. I promise the updates will be quicker.

Thoughts welcome

-Pi-chan :)


	32. Chapter 32

A timid knock.

Naruto wasn't sure what he would find.

He entered after a few seconds. Sasuke, eyes bandaged, sat up.

"Naruto?" he said quietly. He sounded like Sasuke, Naruto decided, except a lot less confident.

"You know it!" he responded, unsure of where to settle. He ended up leaning against the windowsill.

Small talk came first.

"How are your four?" Sasuke asked. "Pretty good. They're at the mansion now, running amok with yours I suspect" he replied, grinning.

"But Hanabi isn't back yet! Hinata's pregnant and shouldn't be-"

"Relax. With the wedding over, most of the Hyuuga clan has way more free time for a little while and love chasing the kids around. Come on, I'm a little bit more sensitive than to leave a pregnant woman with 7 children alone"

Sasuke sighed, relaxing. "I hate not being able to be there for her"

"I'm sure. But if you want to be able to do that, resting is the best way you can help her now"

Sasuke nearly smiled. "It's annoying, your newfound maturity, you know that?" he joked.

"But Naruto, I'm going to need your help with something. I want to begin training with you, Kiba and Shino as soon as they're available"

"B-But Sasuke!" replied Naruto, taken aback. "You can't even see outlines of people yet. We'd better wait-"

The Uchiha's eyes furrowed. "Yes, I am quite aware of how lacking my vision is" he replied.

"I didn't mean-"

"For the type of training I want to do, I won't need my eyes" he responded, a shadow of his old determination ringing through is voice.

"I'm listening..."

* * *

"Aunt 'nabi, aunt 'nabi!" squealed a little voice just as the woman in question and her new husband re-entered the Hyuuga mansion for the first time in a month. It was a blistery late February day and Shun shut the door to keep the cold out just as two little hands clasped each of their aunt's legs.

"Why gone so long?"

"Where go?"

Yua and Hiraku gabbed at their aunt, innocent to the blush deepening on her cheeks.

"Yua, Hiraku, you promised to nap after you saw aunt Hanabi" called Hinata's voice from the other room. She rounded the corner, grinning at her sister's blush. Her sister noticed her now somewhat showing belly.

"Is the pregnancy well?" she said. After the incident in Suna, she'd been worried though Shun had been able to assuage her of many of her fears while on their honeymoon.

"Yes, I just hit sixteen weeks. I'm not due until late June, just after Temari" she said. Then she and Sasuke were hoping for quite some time between this baby and the next two to round out the 7 they had agreed on all those years ago. _Just until this whacko is caught._

The kids settled down and Shun went to notify his parents of their return. His parents would be leaving to return to Mountain country soon, although they would visit again sometime in the next year.

This departure left Hinata and Hanabi to chat and giggle together.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine"

Hinata's eyebrow raised but she didn't press further. Their chat turned to Sasuke.

"Yes, he's healing well for the most part. The percentage of poison is falling and Tsunade says the walls of his chakra channels are healing at the expected rate. He can still only make out gray shapes, though. He can't really determine color although he can usually guess who is entering his room from their chakra signature.

"I think it's good for him" said Hanabi. "I think this might knock him down a few pegs and make him realize how precious sight really is"

Hinata, though a little perturbed at her sister's wording, had to agree. He was spending more time with Kiba and Shino than ever, though she suspected it was for more than just conversation as he tried to make it out to be.

* * *

Sasuke quietly enjoyed four squirmy little bodies snuggled up against him in bed for an afternoon nap (though just how much "napping" was going on was subject to suspicion). _They're getting so big..._

Satomi would be 3 in April and the triplets would turn 5 in the fall. _so fast..._

Hizashi and Satomi were snuggled into his chest and the other two were cuddled into a side of either leg.

That's how Hinata and Tsunade found them when they entered not a quarter of an hour later. Both of their hearts sighed, as Sasuke had nodded off with one hand around Satomi's back and the other over his own head. _I wish I could snap a picture..._

"Kids" she said quietly. Three heads popped up immediately and they began to slide to the ground, Satomi not budging.

It amazed Hinata how much Satomi looked like her father, even more than her older brothers. Her face was only slightly more feminine but she could easily pass for a young Sasuke.

She picked up her youngest. "Mommy and daddy have to speak with Tsunade. Uncle Kiba and Shino are waiting for you in the hallway" she whispered. She settled her children outside with her friends. Sasuke stirred as Hinata sat by the bed.

"We're going to do a check up, Sasuke" she said, lifting her shirt.

All was quiet for a few minutes. Sasuke missed the first few times but he clasped Hinata's hand on his fourth try. Though firm, his grip was still fairly weak and nowhere near the strength she was used to from her husband. Still, his eyesight had improved over the last week as he could see slight tinges of pink and red.

"Everything seems fine but the chakra signature seems a little fuzzier than normal though it's strong. The baby could just be turned away from me" she said, a slight crease in her brow. "I'd like to see you again next week, on March 2nd" she said, removing her hands.

"Okay" Hinata said, rubbing her bump. The Hokage left and Sasuke's hand immediately went to feel his wife's stomach.

She left her shirt rolled to her breasts, enjoying the warmth of his touch.

"Sasuke-kun" she said quietly, interrupting his thoughts centering on the baby within her belly.

"W-We...haven't been intimate in some time" she said awkwardly, trying to express her concern. He could walk fairly well now and his strength improved daily.

His hand withdrew. "Let's keep it that way for now" he said, glad for the only time in his life that he couldn't see her bare skin.

She quickly pecked him on the cheek and left the room, embarrassed.

Sasuke slipped his hand over the length of his body, feeling his muscles softened for the first time since childhood and his somewhat emaciated, hollowed stomach where his abs used to be. _Yes, let's wait quite a while._

* * *

"Gah! I'm so glad this is my last kid!" said Temari rather loudly as she struggled to stand from her chair as she, Tenten and Hinata departed afternoon tea.

"I'm glad to be done too. I don't know how you do it, Hinata" she said. Her children were with Lee and Gai, hopefully not being too brainwashed into "Green Beast" propaganda. Her daughter Harumi was proving to be a much quieter baby than Ryuu, who had just turned 4.

"Well, I don't exactly have quite the symptoms you both do" she said, feeling slightly guilty. She had some morning sickness at the beginning but her pregnancies went fairly well other than that. Temari's mood swings and fatigue were both terrible and Tenten's back pain was killer.

"That's true. But with all those children you probably deserve it!" she said, smiling.

"Have you and Shikamaru found out what this one is?" asked Hinata. Temari shook her head. "We have an appointment tomorrow but I'm confident that it's a girl" she said, grinning. "I've been outnumbered far too long now"

"Cool! I think this one might be a girl too but we'll see. I've been wrong before" said Hinata.

"Another girl? Surely not! The men will be outnumbered then!

"Yeah and we'll likely wait until all this weird targeting stuff dies down before I get pregnant again. But I really don't know how we'll ever catch this person" sighed Hinata, lowering her voice as they walked back to the Hyuuga mansion.

"We'll get him. What do you think the motive is?" asked Tenten.

"Well to target the Uchiha would have several. First and foremost is likely the Sharingan, either stealing it for their own or destroying it for good. Secondly, to display Konoha's weakness and expose their security issues and redirect some status back toward the other nations. Water country and Wind country are fairly stable at the moment but Earth, Mountain country and other smaller countries still feel aftershocks not only of the war but of rebellious ninja and civilian unrest" whispered Temari, her voice gradually increasing as they crossed the border into Hyuuga grounds.

"Hinata" said Temari. "Don't worry. A lot of people really care about you, Sasuke and the kids. Now that your fifth pregnancy is becoming more obvious, I'm sure you'll have guards while Sasuke heals.

She nodded. "Yeah, especially with Naruto sleeping in the living room most nights I think everything will be okay"

The cabin was more cramped now than the last time she and Sasuke had stayed there together as a couple, still newlyweds.

"And Sasuke's vision is improving steadily. Tsunade expects he can come to the cabin with me in the next two weeks as his coordination is fully restored and he can see the primary colors pretty fully now, although his shapes are still fuzzy and overall vision is somewhat cloudy"

"Great! How's he handling it?" inquired Temari as they settled into the Hyuuga living room.

"Better than I expected honestly. He's stayed in bed for the most part and just started stretching and doing basic maneuvers again. Tsunade is hoping that, although he'll have to regain stamina still, he'll be back to fully power in July or August"

"What made this poison so potent?"

The way Tsunade explained it is that most poisons have one to three bases. To start, this one had five which is almost unheard of and had to be brewed correctly down the tiniest gram of ingredients and to the millisecond of mixing for it to work. It also contains properties of absorbency (which is why it seeped into the chakra walls) as well as two long-lasting ingredients that break down very slowly over time, even with antidote and the body's natural defenses. Whoever it was took a large risk in using that sort but the payoff was high if it worked"

"Which it obviously did"

Hinata looked around, assuring they were the only ones within earshot.

"Actually, Tsunade doesn't think so. She thinks it was meant to do permanent damage which is why I've been so tight lipped about his condition so that whoever it is will be in the dark as to if it worked to its full extent or not. She isn't sure if something was wrong with the actual substance or if the person who put it in the food didn't put enough in or just didn't do their research and distribute it evenly but something had to weaken it or hamper it or Sasuke's sight would be gone for good with no chance of restoration"

Temari whistled. "This is so dangerous" she sighed, wishing all of this would just be over.

"I know but now we only eat food that I prepare myself and we're guarded at all times. I'll be relieved when this baby comes and I'm not as vulnerable but we may be in for a long wait. Whoever it is has come this far and isn't going to give up easily"

* * *

"Good Sasuke. You measured correctly my distance from me to you"

"Yes, and you could tell the exact way I was moving so I'd say your training is going very well"

Sasuke grinned.

"Thank you both, I'm sure this training will be very important someday"

"Don't mention it. We want you and Hinata as safe as possible" said Kiba, gently swiping his hand in front of Sasuke's eyes.

"Hey! I could feel that even before we started this training, you know!" he exclaimed as Kiba withdrew his hand and shoved it behind is head, as if scratching it.

"Heh...no idea what you mean!"

They laughed as the exited. _Maybe he's not so bad after all._

* * *

"You're free to go. Tonight will be your last night in the hospital"

Sasuke resisted the urge to shout for joy.

It was nearly the end of March. He'd be home in time for Satomi's 3rd birthday!

The kids had been enjoying sleeping with their mom but now slept out in the living room on an "extended sleepover" with whichever guard was there that night. Often it was Naruto but Kiba and Shino and many Hyuuga cousins joined in as well.

It was mid-April when a naked Hinata approached her husband. He couldn't see that she was without clothing and didn't really realize it until he reached out to touch her after several minutes of conversation.

He jerked, standing abruptly and striding to the window with more finesse than he had in weeks.

"W-what's-"

"I'm just not in the mood" Sasuke replied, crossing his arms tightly against his body. His pride wouldn't let her know that his body embarrassed him, now that he'd been unable to exercise and train fully in nearly four months. He'd been thin but after being at home with Hinata's cooking he was filling out more than he ever had in his life.

Insecurity over his looks had never before bothered him. He was Sasuke Uchiha after all. But now...

"That's okay, Sasuke" she said, wondering slightly at his distance. Part of her wanted to think it was her pregnant form but he'd always been hungry for her before during her pregnancies.

She let it go a few more days, glad to see his vision coming into focus. She had noticed that his hearing was sharper than ever, seemingly having been compensating for his vision loss. She never imagined that her husband had been training to focus his senses for weeks while he was bed-ridden. Until one day when she caught Kiba and Shino lunging at her husband on a very stormy spring day.

She was prepared to give all three a verbal lashing until they explained to her that they weren't actually going to hit him; he just had to use his other senses to determine their trajectory and angle of attack.

She calmed down and watched, realizing this training might come in handy.

It was after this session while the children were with Naruto that she pulled Sasuke into their bedroom.

"Please tell me why you don't want to be intimate with me" she implored, tugging on his arm.

"I..." he turned away from her, unwilling to confess the source of his apprehension. Hinata threw a rare fit.

"Sasuke, after the baby comes it'll be at least six weeks. I've been wanting you for so long. We haven't...m-made love since before the incident in Suna and that's almost five months ago! I've been craving you and I just don't...understand why you don't want me anymore..." she said, the short tirade ending in a burst of tears and her waddling away as fast as she could out of the cabin and into the rain headed toward the main house.

Sasuke sighed, frustrated. _I'll get back to my normal self as fast as I can._

* * *

Hinata's tight-lipped and silent aura alerted Temari and Hanabi that something was up.

Both were with Hinata in the main house courtyard, the first spring warmth finally shining through.

Shikamaru was gone on a mission and Temari felt better being around people. She was having a girl and couldn't be more thrilled.

"She's going to have Shikamaru wrapped around her little finger even more than I do!" she said, beaming.

Hinata wasn't adding much to the conversation.

"Okay, you're distracted. What's the matter?" asked the blonde. _I trust you two but..._

"It's Sasuke" she said in a low voice.

"What's he done now?!" exclaimed Hanabi, ready for any excuse to go off on her brother-in-law. She'd been taking it easy but now that he was somewhat healed...

A slight blush preceded Hinata's explanation.

"He's just never...not...been into it before and I just...don't..."

Her head fell. The other two women were thoughtful for a minute, wondering what on earth could possibly be wrong.

Suddenly, something struck Temari. "I haven't seen old grouchy lately but my guess is he's retained nowhere near his normal in-shape physique, right?"

Hinata almost laughed. "I haven't really noticed but I suppose not. He was rather thin there in the hospital..."

"Maybe that's it. Men, especially men used to being the most attractive, can be very vain. He may be shy about not being the stud he's used to being"

"I highly doubt that, Temari-chan. Sasuke knows I'm attracted to him whether he's in ninja shape or not. I mean, he's still attracted to me when I'm pregnant and in post-baby condition so how could he ever think that-"

Temari shrugged. "Men are weird. But there was a similar situation with Gaara a couple years ago just after he and Namika were married. He wasn't injured but he ate some bad seafood at a council meeting and was sick for nearly two weeks. He lost almost 20lbs from all the vomiting he was doing and Namika told me he didn't want her to touch him until he'd regained some of his muscle. She wasn't having that, mind you, but it was an issue..."

"Yeah, I've noticed that Shun is a little weird if he thinks he's had an off day..." said Hanabi, chiming in on marriage issues for the first time in Hinata's hearing.

Temari and Hinata giggled.

"Welcome to married life, sis" she quipped, ruffling Hanabi's hair.

"Where is your husband, now that I think of it?" inquired Temari, enjoying observing sisterly bonds.

"Probably writing a letter to his father. Those two are very close, although he seemed a bit upset with him earlier although I couldn't imagine what for" replied Hanabi.

"Hm. Perhaps his mother did something again?"

"No, I don't think that was it. Her encounter with Sasuke pretty much shut her up" laughed Hanabi, thankful to her brother-in-law for at least one thing.

"It shuts most people up" replied Hinata, whose mind was on returning to their cabin.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun, I'd like to speak with you" she said, waddling toward her husband who was reading a book with the children.

The look on her face was a little deterring to him, though he couldn't quite read it.

"Okay, kids. It's a nice day. Go outside and play" he said, shutting the book about a gutsy ninja. He wasn't worried as there were three guards on duty outside.

She settled by him as the door shut, grabbing his face and turning it toward her.

"Sasuke Uchiha, you fool. Do you not want to have sex with me because your six-pack is temporarily missing?" she said bluntly, surprised by the coloring in his face.

"N-Not exactly..." he said. "I'm just...I'm not me..."

He was taken with her kiss. She pulled back, shaking her head as she rubbed her nose against his.

"I'm not going to pressure you into it. But you should know that your body isn't the only thing about me that attracts you; you're my husband. I love you. Yes, I love your body too but you don't need to be in tip-top shape for me to want to be intimate with you. You've desired me while throughout pregnancies and post-baby bodies aplenty. What makes you think I wouldn't extend the same sort of desire to you?" she said, kissing him warmly again before standing.

"Just remember that. I'm going to go watch the kids play"

Sasuke ruminated on her words for a while before joining her outside. As he watched her beneath the spring sun, he was reminded of their day under the cherry blossoms all that time ago. Now their four children were running around, practicing jumping and "training" all in the name of play.

He was truly touched. _is this really my life? Do I deserve this?_

His arm slid around Hinata on their blanket. She gladly cuddled into his embrace, amused at the triplets' tactics of battle.

 _Maybe I don't deserve it. But I've been given them and I'll do whatever I can to keep them._

* * *

They were laying in bed later, just having finished discussing whether or not to enter the triplets into the academy in the fall or wait a year.

His kiss was sudden and warm. It was also the first time he correctly aimed at her mouth, having missed the last times he had tried in the hospital. Though still fuzzy, most of his range of color and object-perception had returned although is depth-perception was still off.

She returned it, unsure if this meant he had thought about her words. Her arms came around his back and they rolled around a little, lost in semi-forgotten sensations as their tongues danced with one another.

She moaned.

"Remember that this room isn't quite as soundproof as our bedroom in the mansion" he reminded quietly, pleased at her reaction although he had yet to undress.

"I-I missed this" she confessed, eyes becoming glassy as she began to undress beneath him and wiggle out of her clothes. His palm timidly rested on her heavy breast and he jumped when he felt her trying to undo his pants.

"H-Hinata I..."

"It's nice to not be the shy one for once, you know" she teased, sliding his garments down and then gripping his lower back to pull him more fully against her. He groaned at her forcefulness, still feeling a little hesitant as his stomach pressed into hers.

"Would you like me on top?" she inquired, wiggling against him accordingly. She didn't know if he yet had the stamina to thrust behind her.

Sasuke lost his newfound inhibitions easily as she brought them both to pleasure. It was a little awkward after having been out of the groove so long but she didn't even seem to notice his somewhat softened stomach or heavier than normal panting. He enjoyed watching her pitch her head back in pleasure, a strange half-snarl emanating from her throat after months of pent up energy.

"Thank you for truly loving me, Hinata" he whispered later as they were enjoying the afterglow of love making for the first time in months.

She kissed him softly, cuddling into his side. "You're still hot to me" she whispered back, nibbling his ear playfully.

 _So are you_ he thought, watching the mother of his children fall asleep.

* * *

Hinata ignored the pains. _I'm only 32 weeks just now. There's no way it's labor._

Sasuke was out training with Shikamaru, only having started within the last week.

The two girls were out on a trip with their aunt Hanabi so Hinata only had the boys to occupy. She'd caught them wrestling in the mud earlier in the morning and had already given them a bath.

After lunch, she began to become concerned as the pains regularized. Finally, one nearly dropped her to her knees.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" asked Hizashi, ever watchful of his mother particularly while his father was gone.

"Kids, I need you to go find your father or anyone you know and send them back here. Then go to grandpa Hiashi" she commanded in a tone they knew better than to disobey.

They left her alone and she collapsed onto the the floor on her hands and knees as soon as the door shut.

* * *

They were running fast like they'd been training to do with their father before he was hurt and as Shikamaru had been doing with them since. However, they ran smack dab into a woman's legs.

"What on earth-"

Their jumbled answers somehow made sense to the woman and her heart began to race. "Okay, do as your mother said. I'll go help her, no need to worry I'm a friend of your father's"

They were a little confused as they'd never really met the woman but they rushed off to their grandpa's anyway, remembering pretty well how to navigate there and intent on doing what their mother told them.

* * *

Screams greeted her ears as she crossed the Uchiha mansion's threshold.

She'd heard stories that Hinata typically had good labors and delivered with little fuss.

In the time the triplets had been gone, Hinata had managed to move to the couch and pull her pants off. She already felt like pushing but it seemed a million times more painful than her previous deliveries.

"Hinata, I'm here to help"

Their eyes met. Even though Hinata still wasn't particularly fond of Sakura and she had a feeling that it was mutual but she really couldn't ask for someone better in her current predicament. Moment of tension passed, Hinata nearly screamed again.

"Started about 11. I'm only almost 33 weeks so I didn't think-AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!" _Premature_

Unflinching, she settled behind the laboring woman and waited for her to calm down. She applied pressure to her lower back and this seemed to help somewhat.

"I need to check you to figure out what's going on. What feels so much more painful?"

"I-I don't know, it's like it's-OUCH!" she squealed again, another contraction washing over her.

Sakura reached in. "You are ready to push but the baby is breech; that's why it feels different than before!" she exclaimed. _Premature. Breech._

She took a deep breath. At least the baby was this far along and wouldn't be too premature but she'd have to rush it to the hospital immediately in case it had trouble breathing on its own. That would leave Hinata vulnerable though...

She didn't have much time to think on it, though, because the baby was coming down fast. Within five minutes, the bottom was crowning and Hinata's screams grew more hoarse and intensified.

"PUSH Hinata!" encouraged Sakura, steadying her.

"I-I-" she heaved, a blood curdling scream issuing from her as the bottom emerged.

"We have...a girl!" exclaimed the medic nin, preparing to catch the newborn daughter and rush her safely to the hospital.

Hinata groaned as she delivered the rest of the body even though this girl was much smaller than Satomi had been.

Hinata panted heavily as all but the head dangled, finally delivering it in a gush of blood and fluid.

"You don't seem to have had any internal bleeding. I will rush your daughter to the hospital and be back as soon as possible" she said, taking off out of the window after severing the cord with a knife she found in the kitchen.

Hinata had collapsed forward, in shock from how quickly everything had happened and the fact that she had just delivered her fifth child with Sakura of all people helping her.

She held herself like that as she delivered the placenta on her own, rocking her hips to help it detach.

It had just slid out when Hanabi and Tenten rushed in.

"Hinata are you okay?"

"Y-Yes, I think so. But I should be taken to the hospital just in case. One of you go to Sasuke so he won't panic" she said, consenting to be carried by Tenten.

Hanabi rushed off toward the Nara house.

"Where's the baby?" Tenten asked, fearing the worst. "Sakura was here and helped me deliver her. She rushed her to the hospital as she's premature" she informed.

 _Well that's fortunate_

* * *

Sasuke went first to his new baby and, seeing the little pink hat, realized he had another daughter. _I'm in trouble._

Tsunade greeted him. "I got here as soon as I could. Her vitals look stable but she'll have to be in NICU for a few weeks. She's 3.4 pounds and 18 inches long, born at 3:13 this afternoon, May 17th"

Sasuke's hand pressed to the glass. He thought he had the perfect name for her but he needed to see his wife.

"Hinata is just fine. She didn't even tear but I think the whole thing was a little shocking to her"

He breathed a sigh of relief, frustrated that it took him so long to get here. He still couldn't run all that fast and although his vision was okay for walking around town it wasn't near as sharp as it should be.

Sasuke entered Hinata's room, finding her grinning.

"Sasuke! We have another daughter!" she said. He came and settled by her side. "Yes, she's beautiful but so fragile. Just like you..."

"Do you have a name for her?" she asked. He nodded. "Kohana" he responded.

"Little flower?" she asked, a little surprised. Not a very intimidating name for an Uchiha.

"Yes. Because of her tiny size and because of her mother" he responded, smiling as he kissed her forehead. She cried. "O-Okay..."

* * *

Sakura had only meant to check on the newborn. But she found herself leaned against the glass, still wondering why it couldn't have been her. _It's too late now. It's just..._

"Sakura" the voice of the one that had captured her heart yet held her in contempt so long.

"Thank you" he said simply. And he was gone. Back to his wife, the love of his life.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

 _You're welcome._

* * *

MERRY CHRISTMAS FINALLY YOU GUYS! 3

-Pi-chan! :)


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